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For Kiribati, the theme reaffirms our shared duty to strengthen the United Nations and ensure it serves everyone. Mr. President, Kiribati is an ocean nation. We are a Big Ocean Sustainable State. Our economy, food security, livelihoods, culture and way of life depend on healthy, sustainable marine resources. Sustainable management is essential to our long-term development and we call for increasing efforts and partnerships to help agreeable, equitable progress towards SDG 14, “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.” The 2026 Sustainable Development Goals Report reminds us that our oceans and fisheries continue to face mounting pressures from overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, pollution, warming and acidification. The entry into force of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement marks an important step towards stronger and more equitable ocean governance. Kiribati is proud to have signed and ratified this Agreement and calls on Member States to recognise the vital importance of our shared ocean and to work collectively to translate the Agreement’s historic ambition into meaningful global action.
And how can we make cooperation a genuine partnership among nations, rather than a carving-up of spheres of influence? We, in the Arab and Islamic world, and on our African continent, do not approach this question as observers, for we live its consequences every day. That reality unfolds before us at every moment in Palestine, whose delegation, we regret, has not been able to participate with us in this session. There, the plight of the Palestinian people continues to worsen after decades of occupation, repression, and alteration of their identity, yet they remain steadfast in their adherence to their right to life and to self-determination. These are rights guaranteed without discrimination by international law and international humanitarian law. All of humanity yearns for international instruments and resolutions to move from texts and promises to a reality, and for the right of the Palestinian people to their state to be realized in accordance with international law. The continued undermining of these prospects for its establishment not only squanders opportunities for peace; it also drives the region toward a widening cycle of conflict, the spread of extremism, and a search for alternatives amid major expansionist projects that extend beyond occupied Palestine to Syria and Lebanon. Neither the Islamic and Christian holy sites, nor civilians, nor civilian infrastructure in Palestine have been spared the ravages of this conflict. Its repercussions have extended to the Arabian Gulf, most recently in the attack against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We affirm our full solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its security, its territorial integrity, its citizens, and its holy sites. We reject any targeting that threatens it or endangers Islamic holy sites. The security of the Kingdom and the Gulf, given their Arab and Islamic weight, is not a national matter, but it is a pillar of the security and stability of our region. The ongoing armed conflict in the Sudan, our brotherly neighbor, has made its people the victims of a devastating war for which they are paying a hefty price. In that war, interests and interventions collide, and its effects extend beyond the borders of Sudan, endangering the security and stability of the region and the unity of its states. The instability in the Sahel region represents an existential threat to the integrity of its states. That threat stems from the nexus of terrorism, organized crime, poverty, climate change, displacement, and migration, and from the widening of the cycle of armed conflict in the region.
We are paying particular attention to the situation in the Great Lakes region, in Sudan, in the Sahel, in Somalia, and in all regions facing violence and instability. We reaffirm our commitment to seeking African solutions to African problems in accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter. We, therefore, called for a strengthened partnership between the African Union and the United Nations in the prevention, mediation, and peaceful settlement of conflicts. Burundi, drawing on its experience, will continue to contribute to peace efforts on the continent. But we must go even further. As decided in Luanda at the 21st extraordinary session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government, Africa must not only learn to manage conflicts; it must strengthen its capacity to prevent them. We also call on the international community to lend greater support to African peace and security mechanisms, in particular through predictable and sustainable financing for African-led peace operations. Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I would be remiss if I were to address this August Assembly without raising the issue of water.
When member states approach negotiations with political will, mutual respect, and a sense of responsibility. Mr. president, the stakes are perhaps greatest in international peace and security. One of the foremost purposes for which this organization was created. If diplomacy can bring countries together to find common ground on difficult questions on global development, then surely we can summon the same political courage to prevent conflicts, resolve wars, and build lasting peace. The Gambia speaks on this not merely from principle, but from experience. In 2017, our country stood at a moment of acute constitutional uncertainty. The democratic choice of the Gambian people faced a grave challenge at that critical moment. The preventive diplomacy of the United Nations working in partnership with African Union and ECOWAS, helped uphold the will of the Gambian people and support a peaceful democratic transition. We have not forgotten that solidarity. It taught us that preventive diplomacy is not an abstract concept. It is a practical instrument for preventing confrontation, creating space for dialogue and protecting institutions. Sometimes it can change the course of a nation. That experience also gives us an obligation. If the international community could stand with The Gambia at a moment of fragility, then countries facing similar moments should be able to count on the same solidarity. Across the world, however, conflicts continue to destroy lives, displaced populations and reverse decades of development. Civilians bear the greatest costs, while humanitarian workers operate under increasingly dangerous conditions, and the resources available to respond to crisis remain far below what is required. The protection of civilians, respect for international humanitarian law and humanitarian access are not political conveniences. They are legal obligations and expressions of a shared humanity. We need stronger early warning systems that enable us to act before crises escalate. Timely mediation before positions become entrenched, and peace building that addresses the conditions that allow conflict to take root. The question before us must therefore not only be how to end the ongoing wars, but how to prevent the next war from beginning. Prevention should not have to wait for a crisis to become sufficiently destructive to attract international attention. It is infinitely less costly in human political and financial terms to prevent conflict than to manage its consequences after violence has begun. We therefore welcome the Secretary-General's continued good offices and in preventing diplomacy and call for these efforts to be matched with predictable and sustained resources. Mr. president, peace must be built and nurtured through institutions that command public confidence. Societies in which trust can be restored and justice pursued, and a future in which women and young people have a meaningful voice and economic opportunity is within reach. The government has experienced the value of peace building firsthand since our democratic transition. The Peace Building Commission and the Secretary-General's Peace Building Fund have been steadfast partners in our nationally led efforts to strengthen institutions, advanced transitional justice and consolidate peace. We therefore support a stronger and more responsive Peace Building Commission, adequately resourced to support countries emerging from conflict or navigating delicate political transitions. The implementation of the outcomes of the Building Architecture review must translate into stronger prevention, greater national ownership and closer coordination across the United Nations system. We also reaffirm our support for United Nations peace building operations, and pay tribute to the men and women who serve under the UN flag, including government, military and police personnel who have contributed with distinction, international peace and security. There are. Safety and security must remain a priority, alongside performance, accountability and strict adherence to international law. Partnerships between the United Nations and regional organisations, particularly the African Union, must also be deepened with sustained and predictable funding. Mr. president, the ongoing conflict in Sudan remains a matter of profound concern to The Gambia, together with continued instability across part of the Sahel. It reminds us that peace cannot be separated from development and governance. The suffering of civilians in the affected conflict zones globally demands sustained international attention and renewed diplomatic efforts towards the escalation, dialogue and a durable political settlement in the Sahel and other conflict zones. Our response must be comprehensive and holistic. Security measures are necessary but they must be accompanied by increased support for democratic governance, institution building, education job creation, development and climate resilience. Mr. president, for millions of people around the world, poverty, lack of human rights, democratic governance, etc. continue to pose greater insecurity.
Solomon Islands therefore recognises the need for an inclusive and transparent international governance framework on AI. Mr. president, year after year, Pacific leaders have stood at this podium and urged the world to act on climate change. And yet, global action continues to fall short of what the science demands. For every passing COP, the impacts grow more severe. Our islands are being lost to the sea. Disasters are more frequent and more devastating. Food and water security is under threat and communities are being forced from their ancestral lands. Solomon Islands knows this reality firsthand. This year, Tropical Cyclone Maila, a category five storm, tore through our communities, destroying homes, schools, infrastructure and livelihoods. My government has just approved US$9.38 million for shelter recovery. That is money our essential services urgently need now diverted to deal with the impacts of this climate extreme. Like many Pacific Island countries, we are trapped in a relentless cycle of response, recovery and rebuilding. This is not sustainable, nor is it just. My people did the least to cause this crisis, yet they pay its earliest and heaviest price. That is the moral ledger that lies before this assembly. Last year, the International Court of Justice confirmed in its landmark advisory opinion that states have legal obligations to protect the climate system. Major emitters must make deep emission cuts and transition away from fossil fuels. Climate finance, including support for loss and damage, must be grant based and channelled through our national budget systems. Project based financing of climate action is unsustainable and out of step with the scale of a crisis we did the least to cause. Vulnerable countries should not have to choose between climate action and educating our children, caring for the sick or securing food and water. Yet that is the choice we face with every dollar we spend. We therefore call for the full capitalisation of the Pacific Resilience Facility, and an ambitious and timely third replenishment of the Green Climate Fund. Our region has long led on climate action, and we will continue to lead. The Pre-COP31 meeting, to be hosted in the Pacific by Australia in partnership with Fiji and Tuvalu, will bring the reality of climate change directly into the heart of the global process. I call on all parties and partners to come to that meeting and to COP31 with stronger commitments and concrete action. The communities on the frontline of the climate crisis deserve nothing less. Mr. president, Solomon Islands welcomes the convening of the second high level meeting on sea level rise and the adoption of the first political declaration on sea level rise. Every day our people are defending their coastlines, strengthening their resilience, protecting their food and water security and their cultural heritage, and, where there is no other choice, relocating. But we cannot do this alone. I call on this assembly to match the courage of our Pacific communities with collective international resolve to scale up adaptation and resilience finance, and to support communities facing climate mobility needs.
Nigeria stands ready to assume greater responsibility on the strength of obligations honoured and sacrifices made over decades in the service of peace from Liberia and Sierra Leone to Darfur, Mali and The Gambia. We have committed personnel resources when international solidarity required action through a course the African Union and our Gulf of Guinea partnerships we continue to advance mediation, democratic governance, counter-terrorism and maritime security. Mr. president, our foreign policy rests on the same conviction that guides our economic reforms through sound macroeconomic management, stronger institutions, private sector development and strategic public investment. We seek to give practical meaning to our sustainable development commitments.
Three decades ago, our country faced an HIV/AIDS pandemic of such severity that some questioned our long-term resilience. Through determined national leadership, bold public investment, and sustainable global partnership, Botswana built one of the world's most comprehensive HIV/AIDS treatment programs. We achieved the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets ahead of schedule, and we became the first African country to achieve World Health Organization silver-tier status for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Our experience demonstrates that when national ownership and international solidarity converge, seemingly impossible challenges can be overcome. This kind of practical solidarity restores confidence in multilateralism. We stand ready to share the lessons of this experience through South-South and triangular cooperation. Botswana attaches particular importance to preserving UNAIDS, an indispensable partner in our national response, through evidence-based policymaking, technical assistance, resource mobilization, and global advocacy. That partnership helped to mitigate an epidemic by means of one of the world's most successful national responses and placed Botswana firmly on the path toward ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Provide the necessary legal, tax and customs facilities and guarantees for the growth of business and foreign trade. And build effective partnerships with the global market to accelerate achieving sustainable development. In the field of global energy. Iraq's influence is prominent as our government is adopting an ambitious program to increase the production of crude oil in a manner consistent with the size of our proven reserves. Our government is also working to develop gas fields and expand refining capacities and our capacities to produce derivatives, and we are also working to improve our petrochemical industry capacities. Our ambition is for Iraq to be a global hub for energy production and to leverage its potential to promote regional and international security and stability in a sustainable manner. Nevertheless, we express concern regarding developments concerned with freedom of transport and maritime navigation. And the crisis this has caused in terms of the rise of global energy prices. In order to contain the subsequent risks and the consequences on our peoples, we are working to diversify our oil export ports and develop energy lines and corridors linking Iraq, Turkey, Jordan and Syria. In order to reach global markets with the aim of contributing to energy security and diversifying supply routes. Excellencies. Economic diversification on the basis of genuine partnerships is a central strategic objective of our economic policy.
That work is underway. Our trust fund, to which we contribute more than 10% of our revenue every single year, so that Naoero has something to stand on when and if these arrangements end. Our fisheries. The seabed. Joining the Egmont Group. New revenue through our Investment and Residence programmes, a virtual asset regulator built with full due diligence obligations before the industry it regulates. Our valuable partnerships and behind all of it, investment in health, education and sport so that our people are not only better off, but healthier and better prepared. We are building an economy that does not depend on any single arrangement. And by every measure of fiscal discipline, we have done what was asked of us.
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Within the framework of the National Development Plan 2025-2044, Mozambique is committed to transforming its potential into shared prosperity for the people through the valorization of resources and investing in human capital, especially in the youth and women, which are the majority. We also want to increase value to natural resources. We also want to modernize our agriculture, promote industrialization, develop tourism, expand access to energy, invest in infrastructures, education, health, science and technology, digitalization, and in the economy in general. Natural resources should contribute to the economic diversification of our economy, the mobilization of income, and investment in our biggest asset, which is the talent of the Mozambican people and the talent of the African people. Our location in the Indian Ocean, our logistic corridors, and our agricultural potential, energy, and minerals make Mozambique a strategic platform for investment and regional integration. We therefore seek partnerships that build national capacity, promote local content, respect the environment, and generate employment, especially for the young people and women. Mozambique will continue to diversify its partnership in a sovereign way, transparent, and mutually beneficial manner, working with all the parties in light of the national priorities. This is also Africa's ambition: to be the architect of their own destiny, to participate in setting the rules, and to fully benefit from the wealth it helps to create.
As an integral part of Europe, our country plays a significant role in ensuring the welfare and security of the European continent. The NATO Ankara summit, which we successfully hosted in July, was a concrete manifestation of our commitment to our common security. A Europe that excludes Turkey from its security architecture cannot. And let me say this clearly it cannot possibly be stronger or safer. We are shaping our future with the European Union precisely through this strategic vision, and we expect the same vision from the European Union as well. The Balkans is a region with which we have strong historical cultural and human ties. Within the Balkans Peace Platform, we are taking joint steps to deepen our cooperation with them, and our position on the South Caucasus is also quite clear. Namely, we hope for the establishment of lasting peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. We commend and support the commitment to a solution demonstrated by President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan. We are also advancing with determination the normalization process between our country and Armenia. I would also like to express with pleasure the following. The Organization of Turkic States has become an exemplary model of regional cooperation that is growing in strength year by year. The 13th Leader Summit, to be held in Ankara on the 30th of October, will, we hope, open new doors and new horizons for the organization. The fourth Turkey Africa Partnership Summit, which we will organize in Libya in December, symbolizes the institutional partnership we have been building for more than two decades now. In South Asia, it is important that all disputes, including the Kashmir issue, be addressed through dialogue within the framework of the United Nations Charter and of relevant resolutions. Provided that constructive action is taken, all issues can possibly be resolved, and the same Applies to tensions on the African continent also. We fully support efforts for a ceasefire and for lasting peace in Sudan, as well as efforts to strengthen security, development and institutional capacity in Somalia. Meanwhile, maintaining stability and tranquility in Libya is our priority. It is imperative that the ongoing reconciliation process is led and owned by Libyans themselves. As Turkey, we continue to support the success of this process. Now, also through our Asia Anew Initiative, we continue to strengthen our relations with our partners in the Asia Pacific region. We regard the elevation of our relations with ASEAN to the level of dialogue partnership as a concrete outcome of this approach. Likewise, we are developing our relations with the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on the basis of mutual respect, partnership and a win win approach.
Sovereignty for all peoples across the board. My third conviction is that we must not yield to a divided world. Many describe this rift. Many talk about this rift between the North and the South. We won't be able to tackle any of the challenges our planet faces if we give in to this rift, and it is fueled by double standards, this rift. However, we need the North and the South to reconcile so that they can tackle climate health development challenges. And that's why over the last few years, we've launched many more initiatives. and the African Union. When it came to shoring up economies together with the International Monetary Fund to reform special drawing rights and make progress for African economies. And we held our word $100 billion in special drawing rights allocated to helping African countries. We must stay the course, ensuring that we remain united without pitting anyone against anyone else. That is why it's important that the global health infrastructure must remain intact. We will continue reforming that architecture, but we will never weaken the WHO. We must put the finishing touches on the Pandemics Treaty. Africa CDC should be in a position to combat Ebola ever more effectively. We must be clear sighted as we reform our official development assistance, ODA. We must ensure that our investments exhibit greater solidarity, that they're more effective. This is what we did with the Paris Pact for people and Planet in 2023. Also at the Africa Summit in Nairobi, we also agreed to build a new consensus around investment that stands in solidarity with other states. Countries are allocating funds, and yet the needs of the countries of the global South are growing as well. We need to go faster and go further to help the IMF and the World Bank To be more effective, we must bolster the effectiveness of the instruments at their disposal so that we can mobilize the private sector better, creating guarantee mechanisms to ensure that in emerging economies, middle income countries and developing countries, a more effective response can be mounted to the problems they face. This is the kind of new partnership we must forge in order to ensure that there is no gap, no division, between the North and the South. In a similar vein, this north south partnership requires and will require us to wield our capacity to reopen a dialogue about our common history, our cultural relationships and remembrance. This is what France has tried to do over the last few years, working on the basis of joint scientific works we've instituted a number of bills to ensure that we restitute cultural artifacts in a way, forging a partnership in the name of culture, history and remembrance. And this with a number of countries of the South, for instance, with Ghana and together with all interested parties, all interested partners, we will work on restorative justice reparations. This is a matter of respect, and it is on this respect that the partnership between the North and the South will be built. Moving on global trade, it needs to be more effective and more equitable. This is what we sought to achieve at the G7 meeting France convened, bringing together countries of the South, ensuring that there is common ground, a dialogue going beyond the G7 with China, India, Brazil, South Korea, Kenya the list goes on so that we can improve our collective organization, ensure that we work on rare earth minerals, rare earth metals, critical minerals. As well as other areas. At the end of the day, we must shoulder this responsibility, ensuring that there is no rift between these two blocks. And in a similar fashion, we must not yield on the climate and biodiversity. We've done a great deal over the last few years, ever since the Paris Agreement 11 years ago. The principles are still valid today and must be defended. We must stay the course. But I understand the doubts some harbour on this front. Let us not cede. If we are to defend our planet, defend the climate, defend biodiversity, we need proactive multilateralism and this is what we try to achieve at the One Planet Summit.
Today, I convey to you the facts, the achievements, to go through the breakthrough we have achieved. Last year, I mentioned that Syria came back. Today, I say that Syria is rising. Ladies and gentlemen, in our journey, in the struggle between good and evil, the bloodshed was stopped. Destruction was stopped. Syria started the journey of reconstruction, of recovery. The country was united. We controlled arms. We rebuilt military and civilian institutions. Sanctions were lifted. Projects for reconstruction have continued. We have combated drug trafficking, and we focused on transitional justice. We have ascertained the fate of the missing. We turned our vision into practical action. We have forged partnerships, and we focused mainly on the future and on the welfare of our people. We focused on reconstruction. We relied on the free will of our people and our independence. This national vision relied on diplomatic efforts. Since liberation, more than 100 states started communicating with us through 4,000 communications. Our capital has hosted more than 60 diplomatic missions.
But the international system can widen or narrow our choices. Technology transfer, resilient supply chains and accessible finance expand choice. Technological dependence, external shocks and unsustainable debt limits it. This is why reform of the international financial architecture matters. We must implement the Sevilla Commitment and deliver on its promises on finance, debt and reform. Earlier this year, the Maldives joined other developing countries in launching the Borrowers’ Platform. It must become a lasting mechanism that gives developing countries not just a place in the financial system, but a voice in shaping it. But for SIDS, greater agency also depends on progress at home. We must build our institutions, improve stability, and attract responsible investment and meaningful partnerships. And these partnerships must build national capacity and support national ambitions. Partnerships must serve national needs, strengthen what we have and leave us more capable than before. Our shared challenges can become shared opportunities. This is the spirit of President Dr Muizzu’s Maldives First policy.
So it's up to the challenges ahead and building beyond multilateralism, with new coalitions and partnerships to address and solve complex problems. As a middle power, Australia is showing leadership and working with others on fresh ideas to tackle the big issues now facing the world in our region, the Indo Pacific. We are elevating relationships that help to build sovereign capability and offer nations sovereign choice free from coercion, so that our partners can address the big issues confronting them. Economic security, human development, energy security, transnational crime, sovereign capabilities, trade and investment, and science and technology. Whether it's our support for our Pacific family, our partnerships in South East Asia the elevation of our relationships with Japan, India and the Republic of Korea, or the deepening of our partnerships with Europe and Canada. This is our approach. We seek to amplify the voices of small and mid-sized states to ensure council decisions are informed by the widest possible perspectives. Working strongly together on issues that matter to us, to them, and to the world. Listening. Partnering. Protecting. We are developing these new partnerships while continuing to work closely with our principal ally, the United States, and our major trading partner in China.
Freedom of navigation and uninhibited passage through international straits, as guaranteed by international law must be championed globally, and it is our collective responsibility to uphold these principles in practice and to safeguard commercial shipping. And as a leading maritime nation, Greece actively contributes to maritime security through the operation of the European Union that speeds in the Red sea, and this topic will remain a high priority when Greece assumes the presidency of the Security Council next month. We intend to place particular attention to the challenges posed by emerging technologies. Ladies and gentlemen, Greece's geography grants it the natural role of serving as a bridge between Europe and its wider neighbourhood to the east and the south. We literally sit at the intersection of the shrinking space between the east and the West. My country is a pillar of stability, connectivity and peace across the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Gulf region Greece has developed strong strategic partnerships with key countries in the region, including Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar. We are a bridge builder. We are not a troublemaker. Yet putting this vision into practice is rarely simple. At a time of tectonic geopolitical changes in the Middle East, the Gaza peace plan agreed last year must be effectively implemented. It is of paramount concern to ensure that Hamas surrenders its arms. It can have no role, I repeat, no role in Gaza's future. At the same time, reconstruction needs to move forward, with Palestinians themselves taking ownership of Gaza's future. Greece will continue to advocate for a two state solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security. However, developments in the West Bank remain a source of deep concern Actions that are illegal under international law and undermine the viability of a future Palestinian state cannot be allowed to continue. We strongly argue that this is also to the benefit of the long term security of Israel itself. Greece has established a durable and deep strategic partnership with Israel, while at the same time maintaining strong ties with the Arab world And it is precisely. It is precisely the strength of this partnership that allows us to engage in an open and candid dialogue. In Lebanon, there is now a real opportunity to lay the foundations for a lasting peace. The US facilitated negotiations with Israel are an important step forward and should be sustained. Greece strongly supports a sovereign, resilient and united Lebanon and the government's efforts to restore the state's monopoly over arms. Ultimately, a stronger Lebanese state will serve both domestic security and regional stability. Therefore, we will continue to deliver concrete assistance to the country, including to the Lebanese armed forces with a unifil's mandate. Ending joint action is crucial to avoid a security vacuum and maintain an effective international and European presence. Syria is another key player in the region. Lasting stability in the Middle East requires a stable Syria, a Syria that is inclusive, a Syria that is free from foreign interference and regional rivalries. A Syria where every citizen can and should feel secure. The new Syrian authorities have taken steps in this direction. Get. Further concrete progress must be demonstrated, particularly when it comes to protecting the rights and security of all religious and ethnic communities. And this, of course, includes the Orthodox Christian minority, which unfortunately continues to face the violence of Islamist extremists. The search for stability extends to Libya, a neighbour with whom we share many common interests. We praise all reunification efforts. A stable Libya free from foreign interference, would benefit not only the Libyan people, but our entire region. And Greece is ready to support Libyan institutions in border protection and migration management. And we remain fully committed to reaching an agreement on the delimitation of our maritime zones. Ladies and gentlemen, let me now turn to our relations with our neighbour, Turkey. Over the past three years, we have made a sustained effort to improve our relationship, rebuild trust and keep channels of communication open in order to prevent the escalation of tensions that could lead to unwanted crises. It is a delicate relationship. It's a relationship that carries the weight of history. And indeed, given broader and regional challenges, the situation calls urgently calls for a common understanding on how we move forward and understanding grounded in full respect for international law and the principles of good neighbourly relations. After all, as I've said repeatedly, we cannot change our geography. We are destined to live side by side. And I repeat that the UN convention on the law of the sea provides the only institutional framework to solve our only long lasting dispute concerning the delimitation of our continental shelf and our exclusive economic zones. Dialogue is essential for peace and prosperity, but meaningful dialogue cannot coexist with unilateral actions. The challenge the international legal order. Nor can meaningful progress be made when faced with threats of war in response to the exercise of lawful rights, according to international law. Such actions do not resolve differences. They end up by only deepening them, and they risk undermining the stability of our wider region, a region which we should not forget, still bears an open wound. The unresolved Cyprus issue 52 years, 52 years have passed since Turkey illegally invaded Cyprus and continued to occupy it, a flagrant violation of international law whose consequences persist to this day for the United Nations. Cyprus remains a litmus test of its credibility, of its ability to uphold its own resolutions and the principles of the charter, and Greece fully supports the recent efforts of Secretary General Gutierrez to create the appropriate conditions for the resumption of substantive negotiations, and we sincerely hope that progress can be achieved during his remaining time in office. And we expect we expect these efforts to continue under his successor with the same objective the reunification of Cyprus, free of occupation forces in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. The principles at stake in Cyprus are being tested elsewhere to today. Two other major conflicts continue to challenge our ability to defend the values upon which this organization was founded. The war in Ukraine is now in its fifth year, five years since Russia's full scale aggression brought back war to European soil, the Ukrainian people have shown extraordinary courage defending their freedom and Greece continuously stands with them. We strongly, strongly condemn attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. Diplomacy must now deliver an immediate cease fire and a lasting peace anchored in the principles of the United Nations Charter. Ukraine must have a decisive say in its own future, and Europe cannot be absent from these negotiations. Against this backdrop, another devastating war demands our urgent attention. In Sudan, the nearly four year conflict has resulted in a staggering humanitarian catastrophe. Reports of atrocious war crimes continue to emerge, while the conflict is fuelling instability way beyond far beyond Sudan's borders. We should not permit this tragedy to endure. Foreign interference must also cease with no impunity for war crimes. Ultimately, the way forward lies in a credible, Sudanese led political process that reflects the aspirations of the citizens Sudan. The European Union ought to leverage its capacity to play a more active role in supporting that process and assisting in bringing this destructive conflict to an end. After all, it has real skill in the game. Should the devastating war continue, our continent will be the first to suffer from a possible massive new migratory wave. Ladies and gentlemen, Greece has confidence abroad, rests on a profound transformation at home At a time when the effectiveness of governments all over the world is being challenged by populists and extremists, and public trust is being eroded in the echo chambers of social media, Greece serves as an example that sound reform oriented policies can deliver real results for people and improve their lives.
Likewise, we underscore the relevance of a dedicated representation for Small Island States and Low-Lying Coastal Developing States. Mr. president. Regional and international partnerships remain indispensable to achieve our economic and social objectives as Suriname continues to actively engage in various regional bodies and mechanisms including CARICOM, CELAC, ACTO, and Brasilia Consensus. As Suriname prepares to be the chair of the Caribbean Community CARICOM in 2027, we are also committed to further strengthen our partnership globally in different areas of shared interest. Our regional priorities are practical food and energy security, climate resilience, improved connectivity and movement of skilled people, transportation of goods and services. These are essential to economic integration and our ability to withstand external shocks.
This is where regional cooperation has a vital role. The United Nations must remain the centrepiece of the multilateral system, but we cannot expect it to do everything. It cannot settle problems when member states are not willing to act. Regional institutions can help turn that willingness into cooperation. There have been countries together around shared challenges and translate global principles suited to local realities. In this way, regionalism becomes a building block of effective multilateralism. Asean has demonstrated this for almost six decades. It has grown from 5 to 11 member states. We do not always agree, but we have learned to manage differences and preserve space for cooperation. For my country, Thailand, that practical cooperation means serving as a trusted platform. We want to leverage our strengths as a logistical hub and manufacturing base to connect markets and supply chains across our region. Our conviction is that together, we should combine Asia's diversity for co-creation, bringing together the different strengths of our countries to promote shared prosperity. The same thinking should also extend beyond Asia. Thailand continues to pursue free trade agreements with partners across region, and to expand trade and opportunities for both sides. Additionally, our Thailand Africa initiative seeks to deepen political, economic and development cooperation to build partnerships of equals across our regions. Mr. president, excellencies. Distinguished delegates. Institutions earned trust through what their members are prepared to do. A greater voice must come with a willingness to contribute. Shared ownership, therefore, must lead to shared responsibility. The shadow begins with the words we the peoples. Thailand believes that this work must begin at home. The SDG Sustainable Development Goals provide us with an important framework that goes beyond development. Ultimately, they are about enabling people to live in peace and dignity.
As we forge ahead with the SDGs, reform of the United International Financial Architecture is critical to a more equitable and inclusive global economic order. Such reforms should create greater policy space and access to financing to enable countries to expand their economies through value addition to their natural resources, including critical minerals, for our people to have full benefit of our resources. This will accelerate sustainable development, address inequality, create jobs for our youth, and lift our population out of poverty. In this context, we welcome the creation of the African Credit Rating Agency to be launched in Mauritius in October this year. This development is a building block of Africa taking ownership of her development and prosperity agenda. It demonstrates progress in Africa's ambitions to drive impetus for the reform of the international financial architecture in order to ensure a level playing field. Middle-income countries continue to face high borrowing costs, limited fiscal space, debt vulnerabilities, climate-related shocks, and persistent inequality. Namibia reaffirms this severe commitment as an important step towards reforming the international financial architecture and strengthening the global partnership for sustainable development.
Mr. President, Excellencies, as the UN Secretary-General reminded us a few years ago, the United Nations is a product of hope. Eighty-one years after its birth, that hope is being tested. Technology, including artificial intelligence, is advancing at rapid speed; climate change is reshaping our societies; the international landscape is becoming more complex, more contested, and more unpredictable. The international order is not simply changing; it is being tested in an unprecedented manner. But it is in such times of uncertainty that the foundational values of multilateralism must be protected: international law, the UN Charter, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, the peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for human rights, the equality of states. All these are not principles of the past; they are principles that transcend time, the essential ingredient for the present and for the future. The challenge before us is therefore clear: as the world changes, our institutions must be able to respond to new realities and threats while guided by the painful lessons of history and the vision of the founding fathers of this organization. And this is the essence of the theme of the 81st General Assembly: restoring trust, managing transformation, a United Nation that delivers for all. Ladies and gentlemen, transformation is inevitable. What must remain constant is the UN Charter as our compass. It directs all of us, irrespective of power, size, and leverage. For small-sized countries, the principle of equality of states is fundamental, and it has formed the binding trust between us. We rely on an international system in which sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected. We expect international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, to be applied consistently. We believe in the peaceful resolution of disputes, and we demand that the rights of every state be protected. These are the integral elements of our collective trust, and this is the code of conduct of Cyprus's diplomatic engagement. And in a rapidly changing world, small-sized states must seek synergies while continuing to pursue strategic autonomy. Preserving trust also requires institutions capable of responding to the world as it is today. The United Nations must therefore continue to evolve. The UNAIDT initiative is an important part of this effort. The Pact for the Future and the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals are also part of the effort to ensure that multilateral cooperation can respond to the needs of our time. This moment of reform also comes as the UN Secretary-General approaches the completion of a decade leading this organization. Cyprus wishes to acknowledge his leadership during a period of extraordinary global developments, his steadfast commitment to multilateralism, and his effort to strengthen and reform the UN. But reforming our structural setup is only part of the answer. What is also needed is a genuine willingness of member states to contribute and protect the multilateral system. After all, states bring different capabilities, experiences, and perspectives. Great powers have scale; smaller states must have persuasion. We cannot compel, but we can coalesce. We cannot dictate outcomes, but together we can help shape them. There is no doubt that the challenges of today require cooperation and partnerships based on the knowledge of regions and of the realities. And the Republic of Cyprus has consistently sought to do exactly that. And of course, it has built the capabilities for it. Our geographical position at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa places us close to some of the most complex dynamics of our world. At the same time, it gives us the opportunity to actively contribute to address them.
Our national objective is to ensure that every family has access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food. This is a matter of basic human dignity and sustainable development. To achieve this, we are intensifying investment in agriculture, modern farming technologies, research, infrastructure, and the empowerment of our smallholder farmers. We continue to provide subsidies for farming inputs and implements to support substances farmers. Furthermore, we have embarked on major dam construction projects for irrigation, which are set to transform our agricultural landscape, particularly in the low field. National endeavors such as this are greatly enhanced by international cooperation. The partnership between the United Nations and the Kingdom of Eswatini has been instrumental in advancing our national development aspirations and implementing the SDGs. This collaboration spans critical sectors, including health, tourism, education, agriculture, and renewable energy.
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Faced with the challenges of a constantly changing world, the Refoundation government that I lead places food sovereignty, health and education at the heart of its action. This priority commitment serves the entire population, particularly women and children, while providing our youth with a means to build their future with confidence and contribute to national development. With more than 55% of its population under the age of 25, Madagascar enjoys a tremendous demographic dividend, driven by a firm political determination to build a brighter future for this dynamic youth. We recognize the importance of an education system which is fully aligned with labour market realities, an essential condition for sustainable development, and we hope that cooperation in this area will move beyond a strictly quantitative approach, measured only by the volume of infrastructure built or the number of students enrolled, and instead adapt fully to economic realities on the ground. Our aim is to focus on future oriented sectors. While redefining our indicators of success. To prioritize the practical acquisition of skills and medium term employment outcomes. Mr. president, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. Madagascar's foreign policy is guided above all by the imperatives of economic and social development for the well-being of its people. Madagascar has chosen a policy of engagement in all directions We are open to all international partnerships, capable of meeting the aspirations of our people and supporting the general policy of the state of the refoundation. Madagascar's position of neutrality with regard to global conflicts is consistent with its diplomatic tradition and its desire to preserve constructive relations with all its partners. This idea is not ideological, but is based on international partnership that can meet the aspirations of our people in an open spirit, without exclusivity, in full respect for national sovereignty, the achievement of our ambitions cannot be separated from the international context in which they are pursued.
Dominica has begun the transition from imported fossil fuels to renewable energy. Our geothermal power plant is now in commercial operation and increasing the renewable share of our electricity generation to approximately 84%. We are well on our way to achieving 100% renewable energy by 2030. This is more than an energy project. It is economic transformation. It demonstrates that small states can lead in the transition to clean energy. Every barrel of oil that we no longer need to import strengthens our resilience to international price shocks. Every unit of clean electricity we produce strengthens our energy security. Affordable, reliable, renewable energy can become a foundation for new industries, new investment, new employment, and greater competitiveness. The lesson is important beyond Dominica. We need international finance that recognizes the transformative nature of renewable energy investment in vulnerable countries. We need financing mechanisms that allow countries such as Dominica to move faster and we need partnerships that allow the energy transition to become an engine of economic development and growth. Our ambition is not merely to generate clean electricity. Our ambition is to use clean energy to transform our economy. Mr. president, the international community has become very good at recognizing vulnerability. We have become less successful at financing the transformation that vulnerability requires.
Some progress has been made, and we recognize the dedication of the many United Nations personnel working under difficult conditions around the world. However, we must also be honest the results have not yet matched our collective expectation. In countries like mine, where the United Nations has maintained a sustainable presence for more than three decades, operations become. Operations can become more effective by aligning more closely with our national priorities and using credible national systems. The majority of United Nations assistance continues to be delivered through parallel structures, fragmented projects, and off budget arrangements in Somalia. This makes it difficult to. Government for for the government to plan, coordinate resources, measure results and build institutions required for long term stability. Let us be clear here Somalia is not calling for United Nations to withdraw. We are simply calling for a more accountable, strategic and result oriented partnership where Somali institutions are in the lead when it comes to implementation Indeed, Somalia wants a partnership in which international assistance reinforces rather than replaces national leadership. This partnership is one in which national institutions are strengthened rather than bypassed, and both government and international organizations are mutually accountable for the results. The base argument of the past UN agencies development thinking that countries like Somalia lack capacity must be condemned and permanently to the to the dustbin of history. It is where it belongs.
That is peace, security and the well-being of all peoples. This is the whole point of the topic that brings us together this year. Mr. president, I congratulate you on your election as president of the General Assembly. I also wish to hail the Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, for his unwavering commitment to peace. I still remember fondly his visit to Port-au-Prince on the 16th of June 2026, which bore witness to his solidarity toward the Haitian people. In these difficult times that our country is undergoing, Haiti wishes to extend its gratitude to all of its partners and friends that have continued to stand by its side. In this regard, I would like to hail the commitment of the United Nations system, and especially the commitment of the Security Council and that of the Organization of American States, Caricom and the European Union, whose support remains essential. More than ever, I want to pay a particular tribute to the kindred peoples who, by contributing to the gang suppression force and supporting its full rollout, have chosen to share with us the burden of fighting for peace and security. Haiti will never forget the solidarity nor their sacrifices. I also want to underscore the privileged partnership with the United States of America and the steadfast support of Canada and the invaluable assistance of our partners such as France, Chile and Mexico in the modernization of our national security capacity. Also, the opening of the Dominican Republic to dialogue and its advocacy for a sustainable resolution to the Haitian crisis. I express my gratitude for that. Finally, we wish to recognize the Integrated Office in Haiti, the funds and programs present on the ground, as well as all of our multilateral partners.
True leadership requires both. Prudence, in this case, means not only knowing what we want; it also is about, um, pursue of goal while calling aggression by its name, and also condemning those who disrupt the world order without turning a blind eye when they violate the rules. Ladies and gentlemen, for many years, representatives of my country have been trying, in this chamber and in the Security Council, to point out that a situation in which a permanent member of the council, Russia, attempts unsuccessfully, but with ruthless persistence, to conquer a neighboring state and destabilize the entire region is a violation of the principles we all uphold as signatories to the Charter of the United Nations. Russia is destabilizing the situation in Europe through open aggression, hybrid operations, acts of subversion and sabotage, and by ignoring successive resolutions of this Assembly. It displays the same imperial arrogance that, in the past, led to unimaginable suffering and the tragedies of two world wars. Contempt for international law must not become the norm. It is not too late to restore the primacy of international law and strengthen the foundations of a system in which principles matter, and in which the international community, acting jointly and in solidarity, opposes aggression, which is prohibited by the Charter of the United Nations. Ladies and gentlemen, the Russian Federation, guided by an imperial and neo-colonial vision of the world, is attempting to impose its will on others. In doing so, it is effectively challenging the right of every nation to determine its own destiny. Neo-imperial and neo-colonial policies are, in essence, an attempt to return to a world in which the borders, security, and future of states and nations would be decided not by the states and nations themselves, but by other states that consider themselves stronger and predestined to dominate. And there might would replace law. It is an attempt to return to the concert of powers. This cannot be accepted. It is the force of law that should decide, not the law of force. Poland is particularly aware of the consequences of Russian colonialism and imperialism. History has taught us that freedom and sovereignty cannot defend themselves. That is why we are determined to counter the threats that the Kremlin's aggressive policies are posing to us, with increasing audacity. As a representative of a country neighboring Russia, I want to make it clear: we are not the ones seeking confrontation. We are strengthening our alliances, developing our military, and modernizing its equipment, not to wage war, but to prevent it. Our goal is deterrence and defense, the defense of two values that also form the foundation of the United Nations Charter: freedom and sovereignty. We continue to view the North Atlantic Alliance as the guarantor of European security. NATO remains united in the overarching goal of defending our community on both sides of the Atlantic, in Europe and America, on its eastern flank and along its northern border. We therefore welcome with satisfaction the strengthening of security in the Arctic region, which is now becoming a reality thanks to the agreement signed yesterday between our allies. Ladies and gentlemen, we must, however, make it clear: modern security threats are not limited to classical military actions. Russia is carrying out actions aimed at undermining the foundations of international stability, striking at global food security through attacks on ports and ships transporting grain, as well as by deliberately provoking crises that affect millions of people outside of Europe. At the same time, a large-scale hybrid war is being waged, involving sabotage, cyber attacks, and destabilization operations on an unprecedented scale, including an artificially induced migration crisis. These are planned, coordinated, and consistently executed actions. Their goal is to weaken states, undermine public trust, and shatter the unity of the international community. We are not dealing with isolated incidents, but with a sustained, well-thought-out strategy. And that is precisely why the response to these actions cannot be ad hoc or half-hearted. It must be firm, consistent, and it must also be united. For if aggression, whether military or hybrid in nature, is not met with an adequate response, it becomes an invitation to repeat it. Ladies and gentlemen, even if today we have reservations about the effectiveness of the Security Council, we respect the achievements of the United Nations in maintaining and building peace in many parts of the world. The role of UN peacekeeping operations in preventing the resurgence of conflicts is undeniable. Poland advocates for stable funding of peacekeeping missions and for granting them more transparent mandates that also take into account tasks related to the protection of the population and support for the reconstruction of state institutions. Poland also fulfills its commitments to global security through its participation in UN peacekeeping operations as well. Polish blue-helmet soldiers are currently serving in Lebanon, carrying out their duties with dignity despite the difficult security situation throughout the region. We will support efforts to de-escalate conflicts, protect civilians, and uphold international humanitarian law, and work toward the implementation of a two-state solution, ensuring the peaceful coexistence of Israel and Palestine. Ladies and gentlemen, this is precisely why the response to contemporary threats cannot be limited solely to reacting to crises. It must be based on clear principles and reliable partnerships.
Quite to the contrary, this is a call for win-win partnership, partnership that is respectful of the sovereignty of each nation, rooted in win-win collaboration, rather than pre-established arrangements which disregard our realities. The Republic of Guinea, for our part, is and shall remain a reliable, open, engaged partner, open, reliable, and engaged vis-à-vis the international community while engaging in mutual respect for the sovereignty of one and all. Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the Republic of Guinea is advancing. We are making headway by harnessing our own means, by capitalizing upon our own choices for the benefit of our own people, and we are doing so in a manner that is in accordance with international law, in the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations, and in the spirit of candid and inclusive cooperation with all of our partners. I cherish the hope that this Guinean experience can, to a modest degree, stimulate more in-depth consideration into the manifold legitimate development pathways for our continent. Thank you for your attention.
And finally, we hope that the Iranian people can, in the future live in peace, security and as free men and women. Excellencies, the United Nations need an ambitious and leader that is firmly committed to the principles of its charter and respect of international law, as is currently being demonstrated by Antonio Guterres here, I would like to pay tribute to the Secretary General. His clear efforts in favor of respect of the United Nations Charter, the defense of human rights, reforming the global financial architecture, sustainable development and decisive action in the face of climate change have all been a true beacon, lighting our path, guiding our collective commitment. Thank you very much Antonio Guterres, the next secretary general. The next secretary general must continue to fully mobilize all of the tools available to them to be able to prevent conflict and mediate crises and build peace, particularly emphasizing the Middle East, Sudan and Ukraine. This commitment will depend on the robustness of the multilateral system tomorrow. Ladies and gentlemen. A more robust multilateral system also calls for stronger partnerships The EU doesn't purport to impose a model or influence.
This is not about reducing emissions; it is about reducing vulnerability to imported fuel, external shocks, and prices we do not control. Palau is carrying that regional commitment into national action. Our latest commitment targets a 44 percent reduction in fossil fuel use by 2035, supported by renewable energy generation and practical policies that make the transition affordable and reliable. Our energy future reflects a larger truth: resilience requires partnership shaped by our priorities and respects our sovereignty.
Thank you very much, Mr. President. I'm honored to again address this chamber. At this 81st session of the UN General Assembly on behalf of the government and people of Trinidad and Tobago, I extend my warmest congratulations to you on your election to the presidency. Permit me to extend also appreciation to your predecessor, Excellency Baerbock of Germany, for astute leadership and guiding our work in the previous session. Mr. president, this year the the theme chosen is a very apt one that being restoring trust, managing transformation and United Nations that delivers for all speaks directly to the challenges confronting the community today and looking forward to restoring trust in the UN. We must understand we depend largely on the organization's ability to respond effectively to the needs of the entire global community, at a time when we should be strengthening partnerships through mutual respect and cooperation.
Lesotho is increasingly experiencing severe floods and droughts, resulting in unparalleled land degradation and extensive damage to critical infrastructure. Despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions least developed countries like Lesotho bear a heavy brunt of climate impact. Global warming and rising sea levels pose terrible threats, particularly to small island developing states. We stand in solidarity with these nations and call for greater global action. To cope with these climate related challenges, we call upon developed countries to honour their commitments by providing new, adequate, predictable and accessible climate finance. Further, we urge developed countries to transfer environmentally sound technology and to strengthen capacity of developing countries to effectively mitigate and adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. Climate justice demands nothing less. Just energy transition is therefore an imperative if one is to be spared from the terrible threat of climate change. Under the visionary leadership of His Majesty King Letsie III, Lesotho has launched the His Majesty King Letsie III Just Energy Transition Fund, designed not only to decarbonise our economy, but to transform it from one historically reliant on migrant labour to one rooted in renewable energy exports. The fund seeks to attract investment to build new energy generation capacity, unlock energy independence and lay a new foundation for national prosperity that benefits every Mosotho. We therefore call for partnerships to mobilise the requisite resources for clean energy projects, which can create significant employment opportunities for our youth and women. As the first Member state to pilot the UN blueprint for national AI and data strategies from design into national implementation, Lesotho stands ready to share the lessons of that journey with fellow developing countries, particularly across Africa and among least developed and landlocked developing countries, charting similar paths towards digital sovereignty.
Supply chains built up over decades of interdependence are being reorganized or fragmented as a result of geopolitical tensions. The multilateral trading system has been weakened, and the WTO can no longer fully carry out some of its essential functions. Yet what is at stake here is not merely a technical issue of trade policy. The question is whether relations between states will continue to be governed by common rules, or if they will increasingly depend on the weight and power of each individual state. For Switzerland, this is a fundamental issue. That is because my country is an open economy with few natural resources. A large part of its prosperity, therefore depends on trade, but also on the stability and predictability of the rules that make such trade possible. Economic resilience requires us to diversify relationships, forge new partnerships, and keep trade between different regions of the world as open as possible. This is particularly important for economies with fewer resources or limited market access. Access to markets knowledge and technology can create opportunities that would not otherwise exist. These abstract concepts encompass quite concrete realities a business that can take on an apprentice, a family that can secure a more stable income, a producer who can trade beyond their local market. Young people for whom the range of possibilities suddenly widens. That is also what we mean when we talk about a global economy. Trust is built when the rules offer everyone a genuine opportunity to participate.
Mr. president, as a low lying atoll nation with no higher ground, sea level rise is an immediate and stark reality. This week's UN high level meeting on sea level rise has helped achieve new understanding in international law. It is the seas that are rising around us and not our islands which are sinking. Our boundaries and baselines of today. The political footprint on the map will endure in the face of aggressive sea level rise scenarios. Our collective stability and security as Pacific Islands Forum members and as a UN member state will be now better addressed. As an atoll nation, our tide gauge is proof enough that far more action is needed, and we are acting. Confronted with rising seas on our most vulnerable shorelines. We completed the Ebeye Seawall and Footpath last week. 1.8km of oceanside protection built with support from the World Bank, the Green Climate Fund and our own resources. Engineered for rising seas, it now protects 8,400 people and critical energy infrastructure, reduces annual coastal flooding losses and anchors resilient future development on Ebeye, including schools, housing and the proposed new hospital, while providing a safe public space that strengthens community wellbeing. It cost $75 million, took 70,000 tonnes of rocks, took more than a decade to do, and it is just one island of over a thousand. We are taking action and we urgently need strengthened partnership to better protect our islands before sea level rise overtakes us. Mr. president, my nation underscores the importance of the law of the sea as a key pillar of our future. Even before we were a UN member, we fought closely both to participate in UN law of the sea negotiations and to secure these rights in our Constitution. Pacific Island leadership and that of all small island developing states has defined every multilateral milestone for oceans and fisheries. And we will continue to do so. As an ocean people, the consequences of getting it wrong are not from distant impacts, but adjacent to our waters, particularly in the North Pacific, both within the International Seabed Authority and unilateral actions. Collectively, the people and voices of Micronesia must be heard. We are joined by Guam, Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia and Palau in expressing our alarm at seabed mining actions where the decisions are made before impacts are well understood and where adequate safeguards remain undefined. The Marshall Islands joins 45 nations seeking a moratorium on seabed mining. Responsible and science driven regulations need to be in place. Going on guesswork for global oceans is beyond dangerous. There are no do overs. The Marshall Islands looks forward to the first Conference of Parties to the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, to work across silos to advance high seas protection. We urge wide ratification of the agreement. The Marshall Islands looks forward to supporting its secretariat in a host nation, committed to upholding the law of the sea as a matter of both principle and law, in words and in actions. Mr. president, too often the word geopolitics is considered to refer only to the whims of superpowers and not the reality of our fragile place between them.
The financing and partnerships we build around ocean and nature based solutions will help determine our future and sustain our people. Mr. president, we have declared our region an ocean of peace in 2025. It sends a clear message the Pacific must not become a staging ground for military escalation, or a battleground for major power rivalry. However, our ocean of peace is more than the absence of conflict.
It requires us to draw on the strength of our values, to engage with others, build partnerships among equals, and mend the fabric of an international system that risks descending into chaos. The European Union, the G7, and the West, of which we are proud to be part, must not be perceived as walls. They must be bridges. This is the purpose of IMEC, the Economic Logistics Corridor designed to connect Europe with the broader Indo-Mediterranean region. The same principle guides our relationship with Africa, a strategic priority for Italy and a major partner for our century. The Mantei Plan now involves 18 countries and is built on a simple idea: not to decide for Africa, but to decide with Africa. It is not aid handed down from above, but a partnership among equals in agriculture, in energy, education, and training, infrastructure, and in the pharmaceutical sector. Producing vaccines in Africa saves lives, strengthens health systems, creates jobs, and supports growth capable of generating stability.
We have devised resilient, flexible economic plans and remained committed to our development projects, despite the severe adverse impact of the war and the heavy price it has exacted. At every juncture and in every crisis, we have chosen to combine resilience with flexibility and to place the interests of our nation, our people and those residing on our soil above all else. Our values are not mere slogans we proclaim, but a reality we live by. They are values that we put into practice. At their core is the conviction that the dignity of the nation cannot be compromised, and that wisdom and firmness are two sides of the same coin. This approach is firmly anchored in our nation. This approach has been championed by the leaders of Qatar, from the founder, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani, to His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, our Emir from 1995 to 2013. May Allah have mercy on his soul. He passed away this year and was mourned with profound affection and gratitude by his people and all peace loving nations and people across the region and around the world. On this occasion, I would like to thank the United Nations General Assembly for convening a special session in honor of his memory and in recognition of his legacy. The experiences and challenges we have confronted have demonstrated that resilience is the outcome of prior planning, preparedness and investment in people and national capabilities. Accordingly, over the years, we have worked on assessing risks, securing supply chains, strengthening the capabilities of our national institutions, developing strategic reserves and forging trusted international partnerships. Recognizing the nexus of peace, security, development, human rights and the rule of law, the State of Qatar maintains its investment in development, education, health, security and economic diversification in conformity with the Qatar National Vision 2030. Your Excellencies. There can be no talk of a just international order, as long as Palestine remains a blind spot within it.
I would like to call this a partnership of constructive contributors. I am not seeking to propose a new organization nor an exclusive grouping. The idea is to respect the functions of the existing international order and the UN, work together in a flexible and open manner, in areas where each country has particular strengths and expand our ties of cooperation into new areas. By continuing to build on the achievements of collaborating separately yet together, we can move beyond geopolitical rivalry, deadlock and fragmentation, and rebuild trust in multilateralism. The United Nations must evolve with the times. Agreements reached at the negotiating table must translate into real change on the ground, so that people around the world can feel their impact in their daily lives. We must reduce duplication across organizations and programs, accelerate decision making, and direct limited resources where they are needed most. In this spirit, the Republic of Korea supports the UN 80 Initiative, which will improve efficiency, prioritize field operations and deliver greater results. We also support the reform of the UN Security Council so that it operates in a more effective, democratic and accountable manner. The Republic of Korea will live up to its responsibility and position to deliver results that can be vividly felt by people around the world, across the UN's three pillars of peace development and human rights. Through the Busan Global Partnership Forum, we will continue to support inclusive growth, share Korea's development experiences, such as the Saemaul Undong, and continue to make sustainable and innovative investments.
The time has come to move from promise to proof. I come not only to speak about what the world must do, but to account for what we are doing. Mr. President, last year our Prime Minister, the Honorable Dr. Terence Drew, spoke of our Sustainable Island States Agenda—CSA— our national blueprint for transforming Saint Kitts and Nevis into a more resilient, sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous society by 2040. Today we return to demonstrate that it is becoming a record of delivery. Earlier this year, our second voluntary national review in the United Nations High-Level Political Forum showed stronger government coordination, closer alignment with Sustainable Development Goals, and tangible progress for our people. Water provides one of the clearest measures of that progress. One year ago, our 2 million gallon per day solar power desalination plant was nearing completion. In February, we commissioned it. Through semi-airborne drone surveys, we have also identified 17 new potential groundwater sources, and in August completed drilling at the first rural site. Together with distribution upgrades, these investments are strengthening water security. In 2022, only 25% of our households had 24/7 water; today, approximately 75% do. This is transformation. On the island of Nevis, we are advancing a 30-megawatt geothermal power development, with drilling expected by early 2027, and Icelandic drillers contracted to begin the process. In Saint Kitts, plans for a 50-megawatt solar PV and battery storage project are well advanced. These investments will reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and strengthen economic resilience. We are also strengthening food security through climate-smart support for farmers, and healthcare through our locally developed national digital health information system at the Joseph and Franz General Hospital. Sustainability must be practical, people-centered, and built to last. Mr. President, there is more to do. But our experience proves that small states are not powerless. With investment, partnership, and political will, small nations can deliver big solutions. Saint Kitts and Nevis is not seeking pity; we are advancing partnership. A sustainable island state is not a distant ambition; we are building it today. Yet, even as we advance, the climate crisis is moving the goalposts. This year, our federation and the wider Caribbean faced severe drought.
What we ask is that the international community fulfill its responsibilities, implement its resolutions, stop the flow of arms and technologies to the militias, support our national capacities and economy. The Yemeni government is capable of ending the threat posed by this terrorist group and protecting Yemen's ports and territorial waters. What we seek from the international community today is not a perpetual management of crises, but a strategic partnership that promotes security, stability and development for the benefit of Yemen, the region and international peace and security. We do not ask the world to build Yemen's future for Yemenis.
Bolivia wants to enter partnerships, to compete, to learn, and it is also open to contributing. This historic moment has seen a discussion that we can no longer postpone the transition to energy diversification. It's not so much a transition in and of itself, but rather diversifying our energy. The world needs cleaner energy sources, but it also needs minerals lithium, copper, other critical minerals. It needs new supply chains. And it needs to do that in a responsible way. And Bolivia wants to be a part of that conversation. But we would like to raise a question. Can energy, the global energy diversification, really be just if the countries that possess strategic resources continue to primarily export them as raw materials? No. That is why we want to enter into partnerships and open ourselves up to the world. But as a society, as partners, and not just as a source of raw materials, the energy transition also needs to represent productive diversification. It should create opportunities for producing countries. It should generate local capacities, respect the environment, it should incorporate and include communities, and it should allow our young people to be actors in those new industries. That is why we are proposing a new international relationship around strategic resources, a relationship that is based on investment knowledge, technology and added value. The United Nations.
It seeks to uphold the basic tenets of the international order. My second observation is that everywhere I travel around the world, I hear the word realignment. Realignment, whether it is in Europe, Africa, the Middle East Asia or the Americas, nations are seeking new alliances and partnerships. This is a logical consequence in times of uncertainty and transformation. You seek security where you can get it. We're seeing an intensification of regional integration, akin to what we saw in the immediate aftermath of World War Two. Regional organizations like the African Union, Gulf Cooperation Council Mercosur, ASEAN or the EU build trust. When integration is not feasible, other forms of cooperation can prove essential. We Finns are happy to point out that the historic signing of the Helsinki Final Act in 1975. It brought together 35 nations in the midst of the Cold War, and laid the foundations for what would later become the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Why do I give this example? Because at the time there was no trust. There were deep disagreements and outright hostility, yet there was room for a process that reduced tensions and built common ground. I believe regions such as the Middle East where conflicts are raging today, may consider something similar.
It is our collective responsibility to never allow our region to be overtaken by gangs or criminal networks. We understand that is that is that it is only through partnership, shared intelligence and cooperation that we can effectively tackle the threats they pose to our economies and the livelihoods of our citizens This week, I am pleased to join members of the Shield of Americas in adopting a joint communiqué, which underscores our collective resolve to strengthen the resilience of our region in economic security and multilateral coordination. Mr. president, we stand at the threshold of a new era of technological advancement, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, digital communications and other extraordinary breakthroughs offer the prospect of transforming health, education, agriculture, productivity and public services on a scale scarcely imaginable a generation ago. But a true measure of technological progress will not be how powerful our machines become, but how much more empowered our people become. Technology must not become the privilege of the few. It must become the servant of all humanity. Mr. president, we have before us a new opportunity for sustainable development. Development must not merely make our economies richer.
There, I appealed that it is essential for countries to acquire the capabilities to freely determine their own futures and resilience across economic, social and security domains. Japan places particular emphasis on following three pillars that embody this idea. First, Japan is engaged in strengthening the resilience of supply chains for energy and critical minerals. For global energy security, it is crucial to ensure free and transparent energy trade, engage in international coordination on strengthening oil stockpiling and enhance collaboration between producing and consuming countries. Japan has also launched the Partnership on Wide Energy Resources Resilience Asia POWERR Asia to strengthen energy and resource supply resilience in Asia, and has been promoting cooperation in areas such as stockpiling, capacity development and credit provision. Furthermore, Japan is currently formulating a comprehensive cooperation plan aimed at strengthening the economic and energy resilience of Gulf countries in the Middle East. Through this initiative, we will work to further strengthen the collaboration between the Asia Pacific region including Japan and the Gulf countries, to ensure a stable global energy supply. Moreover, concerns about arbitrary export restrictions are growing throughout the international community.
We are already seeing these outcomes reflected in measurable improvements, including a triple decline in Georgia's poverty rate, which dropped from 21.3% to 7.1% since 2020. Yet this achievement is only part of the broader transformation we seek to achieve over the next five years. Our focus will therefore be on narrowing disparities between urban and rural communities, expanding opportunities across every region, and ensuring that the benefits of economic growth are shared widely and that no one is left behind. These priorities are fully aligned with Georgia's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, and are reflected in our new United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2026 2030. Looking further ahead, our ambition for the coming decade is to transform Georgia from an upper middle income country into a high income economy, underpinned by greater economic diversification, a growing share of knowledge based activities, and broad based prosperity. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the progress we seek at home is inseparable from the cooperation we build beyond our borders. Georgia remains open to meaningful engagement with every international partner prepared to engage with us on the basis of mutual respect and sovereign equality. We believe that lasting partnerships are built through dialogue and never through pressure or coercion.
Hungary asked to be judged by what we do. We will be reliable. Member of the European Union, a committed NATO ally and an active member of the United States United Nations. These partnerships do not take away our freedom. They protect it. Hungary will defend its national interest, but it will do so as a partner. We believe that national interest and international cooperation do not have to stand against each other. For Hungarians, the reasons are part of our our own history. 70 years ago, the Revolution of 1956 expressed our people's determination to govern themselves. Soviet tanks tanks crushed that hope. Our appeals reached the United Nations, but the international community could not prevent our defeat. Many countries represented here opened their doors to Hungarians who fled their country after the revolution.
Founded on a common history and a shared language. Excellencies. Starting in January, Portugal will bring to the Security Council as a non-permanent member, a global perspective and a culture of dialogue and bridge building. We are deeply grateful for the trust placed in us by everyone, and fully aware of the responsibility that comes with it. We are well aware of the challenges faced by the least developed countries and small island developing states. In the Security Council, Portugal will be committed to three big priorities prevent, partner and protect preventing crises and conflicts with severe human impact, which are rampant across several continents. Because there are several and not only those that are on the news. Because for us, there are no first or second class conflicts. They are all. They all concern us. All of them cooperating and developing our partnerships within a more transparent, more representative and more democratic council and protecting, protecting human dignity by combating poverty and safeguarding fundamental rights, food security, and the future of the new generations. Mr. president, excellencies and friends, the magnitude of the challenges we face demands collective responses. The most effective response is a multilateral response, and the United Nations is at the heart and should be, and should continue to be at the heart of the multilateral system. That is why Portugal looks to the future with renewed commitment to the mission of the United Nations, with confidence in our collective capacity, and with hope that it is together that we can build and leave behind a better world, and we are going to do it and leave to future generations a better world than the one we are living in. Thank you very much.
We should keep development at the center of the international agenda and jointly forge a global development partnership based on unity and equality, and that is balanced and inclusive. It is important to give priority to key areas including poverty reduction, food security and energy transition. Step up resource input and increase support for countries in the global South. Developed countries should honor their commitment to development, financing and climate financing. The international community should also build consensus and pull strength to formulate the post 2030 global development agenda. Facing a new scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, especially the dynamic development of artificial intelligence. We should take a people centered approach and develop AI for the positive and for good, narrow the digital divide and promote development that is universally beneficial. Both history and reality prove that countries can hardly achieve development without an open and cooperative international environment.
I will switch— The same principles that underpin international law, human rights, the rule of law, and democratic governance are the principles that helped transform my country. Romania's evolution over the past 37 years proves the crucial importance of upholding these principles. Millions of Romanians know, from their personal experience, the difference between a communist system that oppressed them and stifled their initiative and freedom of choice, and a democracy that rewards work, innovation, and personal responsibility. This choice has turned Romania into one of Europe's most dynamic destinations in Europe for investment and industrial development. Romania has aligned itself with the standards of the OECD: leading global companies have established manufacturing, engineering, technology, and service centers in my country, attracted by our conducive business environment and highly skilled workforce. Our most important strategic asset is our people: Romanian scientists, engineers, physicians, and technology specialists are shaping the industries of the future—artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, defense technologies, advanced manufacturing, and robotics. Moreover, Romania is strengthening Europe's resilience: we are developing significant reserves of natural gas, critical minerals, and other strategic resources essential for securing supply chains and reducing dependence on unpredictable energy sources. Next year, we will begin extracting and exploiting 100 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the Black Sea. Romania is a gateway between Europe and the rest of the world, located at the intersection of the Danube, the Black Sea, and major trade corridors. My country serves as a strategic hub for trade, energy, and transport. Economic growth is all the stronger when it is based on partnership. Our message is simple: Romania is open to business and innovation.
This balance is deeply Bhutanese. For more than half a century, Bhutan has pursued Gross National Happiness. It does not reject economic growth, but it does ask the essential question what is growth for? GMC gives this development philosophy contemporary form through markets, technology and investment. But that aspiration itself is older. For centuries, the Himalayan Buddhist world has carried an ideal of an enlightened society, where material prosperity and spiritual wisdom coexist, where good governance serves human flourishing, and where people live in harmony with one another and with nature. That ideal is called Shambhala. Some of our spiritual masters have looked at what is taking shape in GMC and have said under an enlightened king, Shambhala is being built. Now we make no claim to perfection. For us, Shambhala points not back to the past, but forward a promise to carry its wisdom to the future, to build a city that prospers and has a soul. Mr. president, I told you at the beginning that I come here as a salesman. Now you know what I am selling: Gelephu Mindfulness City. So to governments and institutions seeking partnership and to investors, entrepreneurs and companies seeking the next great opportunity, do not watch GMC being built. Come to Bhutan. Come to GMC. Help define the journey. Build it with us.
This transformation first requires a bold Security Council reform. We cannot claim to represent the world of 2026 with the proportions of 1945. A continent of more than 1.3 billion inhabitants, whose crises make up a large portion of the Council's work, ought to have at least one permanent seat in it. The Pact for the Future has opened a window, but two years after its adoption, negotiations on Security Council reform are still ongoing. The decision that is urgently needed has yet to be made. The African position, represented for years now by the Eslaouini Consensus and the CERT Declaration, is not a favor we are asking. It is a demand for justice and effectiveness. Transformation, next, requires peacekeeping operations with realistic mandates and predictable financing. We support strengthening the UN-African Union partnership, including through predictable financing for African-led operations. Lastly, the transformation requires an international financial architecture that stops penalizing fragile countries. These reforms are not favors; they are investments in the world's stability. The UN must benefit all of its members.
If we smile together, it is not because we have no problems, but because we are stronger than our problems. Ladies and gentlemen, for half a century , the Comorian state still striving for full sovereignty within its internationally recognised borders, remains under what it considers an illegal French occupation. Despite the many relevant resolutions of this assembly. The Comorian side has always favored a peaceful settlement of this dispute, and has always believed that dialogue is the only alternative, and we have engaged in such a dialogue with France for two decades in an effort to reach a peaceful solution of this dispute, once described by former French President Francois Mitterrand as unpleasant. And we regret that this dialogue has not succeeded. On the contrary, France's unilateral actions, particularly in Africa, run counter to our expectations. We deeply regret attempts by some neighbouring brotherly and friendly countries, which have long defended the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Comoros, to establish relations with what we regard as an occupied part of our territory. We appeal to the solidarity that African countries have always demonstrated in defending sovereignty, and, in particular the territorial integrity of the Comoros. We strongly condemn initiatives of cooperation with the local authorities of Mayotte, as well as the recent statement by the French Prime Minister linking development assistance to the pursuit of migrants under General Assembly resolution 3385 of 12th November 1975 and 31, four of the 21st November 1976 and. Security Council Resolution 376 Comorians are at home in Mayotte for the Comorian nation Sovereignty of the entire archipelago is not for sale. We therefore urge the French authorities. To rethink their political narrative, to reconsider recently announced measures and productive cooperation and mutually beneficial partnership for both France and the Comoros.
Progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals remains insufficient. While financing needs remain considerable in many developing countries. The fourth International Conference on Financing Financing for development rightly recalled that the necessary resources exist. The challenge now lies in our collective ability to mobilize them and to channel them with greater equity, solidarity and effectiveness in the service of sustainable development. Cote d'Ivoire, therefore, calls for an ambitious reform of the international financial architecture and a renewed global partnership to ensure that developing countries have more equitable, equitable access to the resources needed to finance infrastructure, health, education, energy. Industrial transformation and the creation of decent jobs for young people. Climate challenges require a similar degree of mobilization. Africa contributes the least to global greenhouse greenhouse gas emissions, yet remains among the regions most hit the hardest by their consequences droughts, floods, land degradation and the disruption of food systems. Directly threaten the ways of life and the livelihoods of millions of people. In this context, honouring international commitments on climate finance, adaptation and technology transfer is an imperative of justice and solidarity. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. The transformation that our world is experiencing is also a technological one.
This same commitment. Um is also being engaged in in our own region in Latin America and the Caribbean. Mexico will continue to work to preserve the nature of the zone of peace that our peoples created for ourselves and to strengthen cooperation in fora such as Celac and the Pacific Alliance. Our regional vocation also explains Mexico's position, the position that we have had for more than six decades, and that solidarity with the people of Cuba rejecting the embargo, and any unilateral measure that is against the UN charter, we will continue to send humanitarian aid to address the most urgent needs of its population, because the fraternity between our nations does not depend on any given situation, uh, in any moment or differences between us. This solidarity is also calling on us to pool our efforts to deal with regional differences on the basis of dialogue and working with one another above and beyond our hemisphere. We are strengthening our links with Asia and Africa, and recently modernized our partnership with the European Union. Uh, confirming the close links between partners. Um, and, um, this doesn't ever mean that, uh we have different distance between other partners either.
In many of our Pacific countries, our water systems are highly vulnerable to disruptions, and these realities demand that the global water agenda fully recognise the special circumstances of Seats. Samoa's priorities are fourfold. First, climate resilient water systems must be scaled up urgently. Second, access to finance must be significantly improved, and third, capacity and partnerships must be strengthened.
Our experience on this demonstrates that when we invest in feasible projects, and remain people-centred, development can move from promises to measurable results. It is in this spirit that H.E. President Samia Suluhu Hassan, accepted the responsibility of championing Maternal and Child Health for the African Union. Under her leadership, Tanzania reduced maternal deaths by 80 per cent in just seven years. We now aim to advance the Three Zeros, i.e., Zero Preventable Maternal and Child Deaths; Zero home deliveries; and Zero Unvaccinated Children. Our experience shows that this is an agenda that Africa can successfully achieve, but it will require sustained political leadership, adequate financing, and stronger partnerships.
Mr. president, restoring confidence in collective security requires the Security Council to move beyond the outdated geopolitical realities of 1945. The long standing position of Africa is outlined in the Ursuline Convent. Consensus and the City Declaration should be granted. Africa is united, sovereign and independent. Africa is rising. The horse and rider mentality has no place in the contemporary international discourse. Zimbabwe reaffirms the. Institutional legitimacy depends on the consistent application of international law, sovereign equality and the inalienable right to self-determination of all within the comity of nations. Unilateral coercive measures as a manipulative foreign policy tool are outdated in a global era, which should be encouraged on solidarity, mutually beneficial partnerships and shared prosperity. I urge us to use this defining epoch in the history of our August organization to protect the United Nations Charter. The tendencies where our resolutions and international law are ignored should no longer be excused. Mr. president, peace cannot endure without development.
Andorra experiences them from its mountains. Our geographical realities are very different, yet we share the same certainty: climate change is no longer a scientific projection, it is a reality that has already transformed people's lives. This year, Andorra has had the honor of hosting the global meeting of the Mountain Partnership, culminating in the adoption of the Andorra Declaration, which highlights the importance of improving connectivity in mountain areas, narrowing the digital divide, and strengthening resilience to natural hazards. We undertook this effort, convinced that mountains can no longer remain a peripheral element of the international climate agenda. They are far more than landscapes; they are freshwater reserves on which hundreds of millions of people depend, havens of exceptional biodiversity, and a privileged indicator of the effects of global warming. This very summer, we experienced temperatures that exceeded all known records. We have witnessed with concern the major wildfires that have affected regions very close to our country, and the catastrophe in Nepal has highlighted the dramatic effects that rising temperatures are having on glaciers and, consequently, on mountain regions. And we have once again confirmed that climate change is not a challenge for future generations; it has been part of our present for a long time. And the voices of mountain territories will be heard in major international climate negotiations. Our contributions may be modest in scale, but ambitious in commitment. We are moving toward a more resilient energy model, increasing, year after year, our renewable energy production, and preparing for a third voluntary national review on the SDGs. Ladies and gentlemen, artificial intelligence represents one of the most profound transformations humanity has ever known.
Azerbaijan's commitment to international solidarity and cooperation is equally reflected in our development and humanitarian assistance. In recent years, Azerbaijan has significantly expanded the scope of its international aid with particular attention to small island developing states and African partner countries. Since 2020, we have provided humanitarian, economic and technical assistance worth approximately USD 400 million to more than 140 countries. As we mark the 40th anniversary of the declaration on the Right to Development, Azerbaijan reaffirms its commitment to partnership based approaches founded on solidarity, mutual respect and shared development priorities. Ladies and gentlemen, as we inch closer to 2030, it is becoming even more apparent that the world remains off track in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. Azerbaijan is firmly committed to the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development. Having integrated the SDGs into its national development strategies institutional frameworks and voluntary national review processes, while placing particular emphasis on connectivity, green growth, digitalisation and sustainable urban development. In less than two decades, Azerbaijan's GDP has increased threefold, while the poverty rate has declined from 49 to around 5%.
At home, we are investing a computing capacity, digital infrastructure and AI skills. We are forging new trusted partnership on AI governance and emerging technologies, and we have recently adopted law on artificial intelligence and new digital code. But without effective governance at all levels, it will also deepen inequality, create new security risks, as we have seen very recently, and widen the digital divide. We also should not let ethical norms fall behind this rapid evolution. AI must remain human centered, safe and subject to meaningful human oversight. These risks are particularly serious in the military domain, where the use of AI in warfare and cyber operations could have far reaching consequences for international stability. Kazakhstan supports stronger international rules and cooperation, including through the United Nations Global Mechanism on ICT security and UN Global Dialogue on AI governance. At the regional level, we invite partners to engage with the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Digital Solution Centre in Almaty city as a platform for sharing expertise and advancing regional digital cooperation.
Through different cultures and generations, I saw for myself everything that young people are capable of accomplishing when we give them our trust, we give them responsibilities and the necessary space to take action, as well as when we encourage them to work together. This is why Luxembourg supports the UN's youth delegate programme, as well as the United Nations Youth Office. It is also why our commitment to education, science and culture remains so important, in particular through our term on the Executive Board of UNESCO for the period 2025 2029. It is precisely these qualities which allow trust to flourish. Madam president, Luxembourg's commitment to the United Nations is underpinned by all three pillars peace and security, human rights and development. Solidarity must be translated into deeds. We continue to allocate 1% of our national income to development cooperation. We're also building long term partnerships with vulnerable countries.
Nowhere on earth is a planet warming faster than in Western Europe. But in the Caribbean, part of our kingdom, including the countries of Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten the effects of climate change have already been felt for much longer. And the same is true for many of your countries. For too long, the consequences of climate change have been trivialized or simply denied. But after the horrors experienced by Nepal and a long series of forest fires, the truth should be clear to everyone the climate crisis will not just disappear if we pretend it doesn't exist. We are living on borrowed time, and the generations that come after us will pay the price. And if you want to prevail that prevent that, we must commit now to both mitigation and adaptation. And we all know what needs to be done. Countless reports are agreed on that. And we have all the technology we need. Unfortunately, we are making progress. Last year, the electrical vehicle market grew by 20%. Wind power capacity grew by 14% and solar power by more than 30%. And this growth in renewable energy has exceeded even the most optimistic projections from ten years ago. And the challenge now is to accelerate this transition in all sectors and all parts of the world. And at the same time, to reduce carbon emissions and phase out fossil fuels. That is why the Netherlands, jointly with Colombia, organized the world's first conference on transitioning away from fossil fuels. This event in Colombia was attended by 57 countries, and together these countries account for one third of global GDP, one third of energy demand and one fifth of supply. And together we worked to find concrete and practical solutions to take the transition forward. But climate action requires everyone to contribute. In November, we will gather at a cop in Turkey. And I know that many of you don't have high expectations. But in my view, this can only be explained by the pessimistic idea that we are somehow powerless. But that is not true We have the knowledge and we have the technology to combat climate change. And a better world is really within reach. Thanks to our joint efforts on the Sustainable Development Goals, 92% of the world's population now has access to electricity. And since 2015, we have doubled the amount of renewable energy we generate. Child mortality has dropped sharply to because of this axis So climate action can be a catalyst for everyone to work together on solutions that concern us all. And we don't need to reinvent the wheel. A lot of good things are happening already. For decades, the Netherlands has been working with partners around the world to develop climate smart agriculture and future proof water management solutions. And we are keen to share our knowledge and knowhow And we want to learn from what other countries are doing. There are so many great initiatives on the way. But I also know there's much more to be done. The need to accelerate and scale up our efforts is only to clear. And that demands our common commitment. The Netherlands wants to build practical partnerships with other countries, so we are once again making funding available for this purpose. And at the same time, we need to adapt to climate shocks that can no longer be avoided. These adaptations will require major investments, both public and private. Because here too, we cannot do it alone. Today, I call on all countries to stick to these ambitions because one way or another, a climate transition is coming. But we can decide how it unfolds. It can be chaotic, or it can be carefully planned with an inclusive approach and economic benefits for all. Ladies and gentlemen, as I come to the end of my remarks, I have an even stronger sense of what Anne Frank was telling us.
In addition to terrorism, which remains active in some countries, particularly in Africa, the situation of global peace and security has been worsening year after year, bringing us to the present moment in which we note with deep concern that the world has taken a course that brings it alarmingly close to a global conflict. Over the years Angola has sought to make its contribution to building and consolidation of peace in Africa and the world, but the current situation in no way reflects the aspirations of peoples for harmony and understanding amongst nations. Among these contributions to peace are several initiatives undertaken in Africa, of which I highlight the 21st Extraordinary summit of Heads of State of the African Union on the strengthening of conflict prevention and resolution Mechanism in Africa recently held in Luanda, which opened serious and sound prospects for resolving the problems affecting peace and stability on the African continent. Also worthy of particular attention is the holding in July of this year in Luanda, in partnership with the United Nations Alliance of Civilisation, the third edition of the Initiative Call for Peace, an End to Wars and Respect for International Law. In these same contexts, Angola will host next October the Pan-African forum for the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence, the so-called Luanda Biennale. My country takes seriously the issues relating to peace and resolution of conflict through dialogue, respect for norms governing international relations and defence of international law, sparing no efforts to bringing the conflicting parties closer and build consensus in Africa. We remain available to render our attention and contribution to resolving the conflicts that persist on the continent. Our paradigm for peacebuilding initiatives is based on the search for realistic and sustainable solutions within the principle of African solutions to conflicts in Africa. We call for effective implementation of the Security Council Resolution 2719, which must ensure a predictable, adequate and sustainable financing for African Union led peace support operation authorized by the United Nations Security Council, because investing in Africa's capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts is also an investment in international peace and security. Your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, this session of the General Assembly is of particular significance to my country as it takes place in the year in which we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Republic of Angola's admission as full member of the United Nations organization, which took place in December 1976.
When the Security Council meets on the 30th of September, we urge you to renew the mandate under resolution 2793 and to give the gang suppression force the resources to deliver a partnership that respects Haitian sovereignty. It is not sufficient. It will be not sufficient to pass the resolution identifying resources needed, and then sit and leave it on the paper of the resolution and not provide those resources.
Through ensuring the political and economic empowerment of the people, we want to build a prosperous, self-reliant, welfare oriented, democratic state where everyone, irrespective of political affiliation, religion or ethnicity, can live with security and peace and with equal rights, honor and dignity Mr. president. Bangladesh continues to make progress in all areas, including democracy, human rights, good governance, accountability, political stability and the investment environment. The government is working to establish a safe and stable Bangladesh with a business and investment friendly environment. In today's democratic Bangladesh, we welcome partnership, innovation and both domestic and foreign investment.
Egypt is putting its experience and capabilities in service of solutions. Drawing upon its Arab, African and Mediterranean heritage, its historic role in founding the multilateral international order and its principled commitment to its survival and sustainability, Egypt will remain a bridge for cooperation and a partner to all those who seek a more just and effective international system. We will continue investing in partnerships with all parties. We remain open to cooperation and exchange of expertise, and to working with all nations in both the global North and the global South on solutions that do not impose a single model, but respect national priorities and are based on shared ownership.
These efforts should enhance the efficiency of institutions and the competitiveness of the economy, and will establish Kuwait as a leading financial, commercial and control centre in the region. In conclusion, Mr. President, my country has known the cruelty of occupation and the bitterness of aggression and has suffered from wars that have ravaged and continue to ravage our region for four decades. From this experience, we have realised that they are the people who pay the price of conflicts. We have recognised the need for the world to stand together, united in support of justice and in adherence to the UN charter and international law. Out of our experience, we became firmly convinced that peace is the choice of wisdom and is protected by ability and dialogue does not diminish rights, but preserves them, and that security is not protected by force alone. But it is anchored in justice, the rule of law, and the principles of international legitimacy. The message of the state of Kuwait is one that has embraced in both word and deed, and to which it remains committed, that a just peace is the path to stability, and that respect for state sovereignty, the preservation of the rights of people, and recourse to international law for resolving disputes are indispensable pillars for security and stability of all states. The state of Kuwait shall remain, as the world has known it, to be a voice of wisdom and moderation, a proponent of dialogue, cooperation, and openness to partnerships that serve mutual interests. A champion of justice and a partner in consolidating international peace and security. We believe that peace is the path to a future where rights are protected, nations are stable, and generations enjoy security and prosperity, and may the peace and blessings of God be upon you.
The issue concerns the unique high altitude Lake Issyk-Kul, which is part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is included among wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Framework. Today, this invaluable natural water reservoir is under severe climatic stress. Over the past 170 years, the water level has fallen by almost 14m, while over the past five years the rate of decline has reached approximately seven centimeters per year. 101 rivers historically flowed into the lake, but today only 30 flow throughout the entire year. The main source of water for Lake Issyk-Kul is the glacier of the Tien Shan Mountains. Over the past 70 years, more than 30% of the region's mountain glaciers have melted. Nearly 20% of this reduction has occurred within the just past 7 to 10 years. This process poses a direct threat to the biodiversity of the region and economic stability of hundreds of thousands of people. As part of our efforts to preserve Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan is mobilizing all available domestic resources, in particular the state concept for the sustainable Development of the Issyk-Kul ecological and economic system until 2030 is being implemented. Strict environmental restrictions have been introduced and pilot projects have been launched to monitor the depths of the lake using the underwater robotic technologies. Large scale efforts to clean the lake bed and its waters are continuing on a regular basis. The scale and speed of climate change exceed the capacity of any individual mountain country and require consolidated international action. The loss of Lake Issyk-Kul would not be merely a local tragedy. It would become an irreversible environmental loss for the entire region. In order to understand the potential scale of this environmental challenge and the costs associated with preventing, it is important to look at the fate of the Aral Sea and Lake Chad, both of which have suffered severely over recent decades. Please take a look at. Not so long ago the Aral Sea and Lake Chad, just like Issyk-Kul today, were full and reservoir was full of water. Today they have largely dried up. For us, this example must serve as a clear warning. Taking this opportunity, I officially call upon the United Nations, international financial institutions and donor countries to support our initiative to establish under the auspice of the organization the Special Joint Trust Fund for the Preservation of Lake Issyk-Kul. In order to demonstrate our commitments through concrete actions, we are prepared to contribute 10 million USD from the state budget to this fund. In our culture, there is a concept known as Amanat. It means the duty to carefully preserve what our ancestors have entrusted to us and to pass it on to future generations. In this sense, it would be fair to state that Lake Issyk-Kul is our shared climate Amanat. We are not asking for help. We are proposing a joint global partnership to preserve this unique natural resource for the earth. Before it is too late, let us unite our efforts and resources within the framework of this Trust fund. Distinguished participants. Ladies and gentlemen, the challenges before us are shared. Therefore, our response to them must be also collective. We stand at the threshold of a new era of change. Safe, just and sustainable future can be built only through collective action. The destiny of our planet and future generations is the responsibility of each and every one of us. This year, Kyrgyzstan celebrates the 35th anniversary of its independence. Throughout this period, our country has faced many different challenges. Since then, we chose cooperation over confrontation, creation over destruction and embark upon the path of sustainable development. There is one thing we must all remember. Peace does not come about by itself. Therefore, let us turn our words into action, concrete steps that improve people's lives and protect nature.
Distinguished Mr. President, Excellencies, I do want to congratulate first of all Dr. Rahman on his election as President of the United Nations General Assembly, and I also wish to thank Mrs. Baerbock for her leadership of the 80th Session of the General Assembly. And let me also make a special thanks to Secretary-General Guterres, whose stewardship of this organization and partnership with Montenegro over the past decade we deeply value. It is my great honor to address you today as President of Montenegro, a Balkan and Mediterranean country, a credible NATO ally, steadily advancing toward membership in the European Union, and deeply committed to regional cooperation and effective multilateralism.
Rather, it is a land of opportunity and potential, capable of devising solutions and putting forward initiatives That is the idea summed up by His Majesty King Mohammed VI. May God assist him in his eloquent words. Africa must trust Africa, end of quote. The enlightened royal vision for Africa, which has materialised through a significant number of projects, stems from a firm conviction that the continent has attained a level of maturity that qualifies it to participate effectively in all decisions relating to its affairs. Indeed, it is capable of contributing to formulating proposals and solutions to the challenges facing the world as a whole. Morocco has translated this vision into practical and tangible royal initiatives, the most prominent of which are perhaps the royal initiative to enable Sahel states to access the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the African Atlantic states process. The African Atlantic Gas pipeline project, as well as investments in regional infrastructure cooperation in the areas of food security, fertiliser production and training programmes for African executives. This is in addition to partnerships in the areas of health, renewable energy and water resource management.
We renew our call for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the United Nations system and its specialized agencies. Mr. president, let us also restore trust through support for Reparatory justice. The past is not the past when its consequences still shape who is rich and who is poor in the world today. The Caribbean community has for over a decade advanced a ten point plan for Reparatory justice, seeking acknowledgement, repair and genuine partnership to address the historic injustices of the enslavement of African people and the near annihilation of our indigenous populations. We are encouraged that in March 2026, this Assembly strongly adopted a resolution sponsored by Ghana and supported by the African Union and Caricom, declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialized chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity. This is a hopeful and historic event, and after the follow up conference in Accra in June, momentum grows, so necessary actions must follow. When the continent from which our enslaved ancestors were taken and the islands to which they were brought in chains, spoke in one voice, this chamber listened.
These restrictions continue to inflict hardship on the Cuban people, contravene the human rights commitment of the UN, and run counter to the cooperative spirit of the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development. The continuation of those economic sanctions deprive Cuba of essential development, partnership and support needed for recovery and future progress, and we call for the lifting of those sanctions. Tuvalu also support the call for necessary reform of the UN Security Council to ensure that it is more representative, inclusive, transparent and accountable and better aligned with the reality of the 21st geopolitical landscape. Mr. president, to conclude, I wish to assure this Assembly that Tuvalu stands in solidarity with the rest of the Member States to play its part in restoring trust and managing transformation to ensure the United Nations delivers for all.
The governance of strategic resources ought to be an issue of peace, development, and global security from now on. The energy transition, the electrification of transport, energy storage, as well as the expansion of digital and AI infrastructure are accelerating demand for copper, cobalt, lithium, nickel, and other critical minerals. As the largest global producer of cobalt and a major copper-producing power, the DRC is at the heart of this transformation. Congolese cobalt is already being used in batteries, power grids, digital equipment, and technologies that are crucial for the decarbonization of the global economy. It would be both unjust and dangerous for added value, jobs, know-how, and technologies to remain concentrated far away from the communities that are making these changes possible. We cannot build a decarbonized economy through blood-stained minerals. And we will not bring about a just transition by reproducing a greenwashed version of our past dependencies. The DRC, therefore, rejects the old model that limits producer countries to crude extraction while processing, research, technology, and the bulk of the profits are concentrated elsewhere. Our ambition is clear. We no longer wish to be simply the basement of the world's economy. We plan to become a workshop, a laboratory, and a sovereign partner. Nous voulons transformer. We'd like to further transform cobalt and copper, process more cobalt and copper on our territory, develop precursors for batteries and industrial components, train our engineers, support our researchers, and include our enterprises in global value chains. We'd like to build, together with our African and international partners, competitive regional businesses that create jobs, skills, and shared prosperity. This ambition, first and foremost, entails taking up our own responsibilities. The DRC is pursuing the modernization of mining governance through the transparency of contracts, extractive revenue, and effective beneficiaries, improving mining registries, the deployment of traceability mechanisms, and the fight against fraud. We're also accelerating the formalization of small-scale mining, the regulation of traders, organization of cooperatives, and by securing exploitation zones. The battle against child labor in mines, in this regard, is a moral and national obligation. Together with the International Labor Organization, UNICEF, and our other partners, we are strengthening our identification, monitoring, and remediation mechanisms, as well as the training of our inspectors, school attendance of children, and economic solutions for their families. Our goal is unambiguous. We need to achieve zero children in the mines. This responsibility is one that lies with the Congolese state, but it also involves businesses, traders, refiners, manufacturers, financial institutions, and destination markets. The real proof of a responsible supply chain is not the electric vehicle sold downstream. It is the child who no longer descends into the mines upstream. That is why the DRC proposes creating, under UN auspices and together with the African Union, as well as producer, processor, and consumer countries, a global framework for just, traceable, and resilient critical mineral value chains. Based upon the sovereignty of producer states, it ought to guarantee traceability of minerals, responsibility of economic actors, protection of workers and communities, as well as a more equitable sharing of added value thanks to local processing and technology transfer. The corridor of Lobito ought to become one of the tools to further this ambition. We commend the commitment of Angola, Zambia, the USA, the European Union, the African Development Bank, financial institutions, and the private sector to promote its implementation. The rehabilitation of railway links, the modernization of infrastructure, the facilitation of exchange and energy investments can connect our territories, reduce logistical costs, and stimulate regional trade. But our vision goes far beyond accelerating the export of our raw materials. A corridor that only shortens the path from the mine to the port only reproduces the past. The corridor of Lobito ought to become a real backbone for regional industrialization, with the support of investors, with the help of whom we hope to build transparent, sustainable, and mutually beneficial partnerships for the well-being of future generations.
Developing nations and the global South borrow at interest rates that are up to eight times higher than industrialized nations. African and Caribbean nations struck by climate disasters are forced to take on crippling debts to rebuild from floods and droughts that they did not cause. Governments are forced into a tragic choice to service predatory debt or to serve their people. We demand reform. We need long term, affordable and accessible concessionary financing that enables developing economies to invest in human capital, in industrialization and climate adaptation. Mr. president, Africa does not seek charity. Africa seeks equal partnership that is anchored. That is anchored in mutual respect.
Furthermore, as an active member of the United Nations, Mongolia has contributed to international cooperation to advance gender equality, strengthen women's political participation and leadership, and increase their representation at decision making levels. In recent years, Mongolia has established a tradition of hosting international events dedicated to women in our country, including the International Conference on Strengthening the Role of Women in Peacekeeping in 2022, the Female Foreign Ministers' Meeting in 2023 and the World Women's Forum in 2024, in collaboration with the United Nations and the World Women Entrepreneurs Forum in 2025. Hence, I am confident that the World Women Parliamentarians Forum, to be held in Ulaanbaatar on October 12 to 13 this year, will substantially contribute to strengthening women's political leadership and inter-parliamentary cooperation, thereby advancing gender equality and accelerating progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. I cordially invite you to participate in this important event at a high level and with broad representation. Mongolia will continue to serve as a solid bridge for partnership, cooperation and solidarity in advancing women's social and political leadership and participation at all levels. Mr. President, Mongolia has consistently championed and supported numerous initiatives within the international community aimed at preserving and promoting cultural heritage traditional knowledge and the shared values of humanity. For instance, in 2025 at Mongolia's initiative, a United Nations General Assembly resolution proclaiming World Horse Day was adopted, which recognises the invaluable contribution of horses to the history, civilization and socio economic development of peoples around the world.
I respectfully extend this call to every nation that calls Papua New Guinea a friend. Every nation which we have bilateral partnership and every nation that seeks friendship and engagement with us. Look within your borders. Ensure that religious minorities are not persecuted, suppressed, intimidated, or discriminated because they practice religion that is different from majority. Whether a country is predominantly Christian or Muslim or Hindu or Buddhist or follows other religion, religious tradition doesn't matter. The faith of the majority must never become an instrument for the persecution of minority. This message is not directed at one country or one religion or one region. It is a principle that must apply equally to all of us, because human rights cannot be selective. We cannot demand respect for our own rights while denying those same rights to others. We cannot ask the world to respect our beliefs while refusing to respect the freedom of conscience of another human being. Mr. president, there is a wider principle here also. This ultimately is also about human dignity. If we recognise the dignity of every human being, then we must consider the conditions in which people live and the earth which we will leave behind for our children.
However, without a genuine return to the principles on which we have already agreed, I do not expect progress in terms of this organization's concrete results. Excellencies, peace is not the only test of our ability to manage change. We are in the midst of a technological transformation whose full reach we are only beginning to understand. Artificial intelligence is already changing the economy, education, medicine, security, the labor market, and the way states function. It can bring enormous benefits to humanity. It can also deepen existing inequalities, enable new forms of manipulation, and create security risks that we could not even have imagined only a few years ago. During our leadership cycle in the Global Partnership of Artificial Intelligence, which Serbia chaired in 2025, one of our priorities was to ensure that technological progress remained connected with security, human rights, the rule of law, accountability, and bridging the digital divide. The Belgrade Ministerial Declaration received the support of 44 member states and the European Union and affirmed the need for safe, sustainable, and human-centered artificial intelligence. The more powerful technology becomes, the more responsible those who manage it must be. We may have cutting-edge algorithms, quantum computers, unmanned systems, and artificial intelligence capable of processing in a matter of seconds what once took us years. But if, at the same time, we allow the fundamental rules of the international order to be applied selectively, technological progress will not make the world safer. It will merely make us more technologically advanced in a world that is becoming politically less predictable.
In a divided world, we have the ability to bring people together and we will. We are going to step into that role, and we are going to start with one of the most significant challenges and opportunities of our age, frontier AI. AI brings together so many of the most pressing issues before us. It is already speeding up cancer diagnosis in the UK, but AI has the potential to go further, not just to help prevent and treat cancer, but to help cure it. AI will also be the key to economic growth, the route to transforming education, and it will be a vital tool to keep us safe. I am announcing today that we are developing a new AI defence partnership with the United States to protect our critical national infrastructure, but we know that AI will also be a source of disruption to the way we live and work, a multiplier of risk. We've all heard the warnings which we must heed. I know how worried people are, so we have to rise to this moment. Fundamental decisions on this technology are too important to be left to chance. They must be taken by elected governments who serve working people, and we need to give people the support they need through this change, ensuring that it becomes an engine for reindustrialisation and opportunity as well. There is a lesson from the first industrial revolution, which started in northern England two centuries ago. It was a time of incredible technological progress, but for workers, the disruption brought huge suffering and exploitation. Things got a lot worse before they got better. So this time we need to get it right. I believe we're more than equal to the task. The UK has some of the best tech and AI talent anywhere in the world. And when it comes to guarding against the risks, we have our world leading AI Security Institute working hand in glove with the US and the leading labs on AI safety. But we need to go further. Building on the meeting convened by His Majesty King Charles last week, I can announce today that I am going to put AI at the heart of the UK's G20 presidency next year. I look back at how we responded to the financial crisis back in 2008. We moved quickly in the G20 and smaller groups to deliver an urgent, practical response. We came together to agree principles which everyone implemented at home in a way that was right for them. And it worked. That is the kind of approach we need now. So we will bring the right people together on the key issues, delivering on the potential of AI for good and dealing with the risks. And we will work towards agreeing a single set of global principles and standards to ensure the transparency and access we need to increase our preparedness and to ensure that AI development is safe. This will bring together welcome initiatives from others like that proposed by Norway this week. As His Majesty said, the task before us is not merely to advance technology, but to ensure that it remains firmly in the service of humanity. And I want to reassure the British people that ultimately, we will do whatever is necessary to protect them, including bringing forward new laws, if that is what is needed. They need to know that we will protect their interests and we will.
We must equally reform the Secretariat to better support peacekeeping and the resolution of conflicts. We've been told that there are more conflicts today than at any time since the United Nations was established, and regrettably, these conflicts are in almost every corner of the planet. The Oslo Peace Institute reported that in 2025 last year. 245 000 individuals faced battle related deaths. That is almost Barbados's population. I'm told that this makes it the third most violent year in the post-Cold war era. My friends, the scale of human tragedy is mounting, and whether it is in Gaza or the West Bank or Lebanon, or Yemen or Sudan or Ukraine or elsewhere. Last Here we fared. That there was a risk of conflicts in the Middle East widening even further, and the conflicts continue. These fears, regrettably, have come to pass and with a global impact. Nevertheless. Indeed, conflicts are more protracted and more fragmented. And when coupled with hunger and unsustainable debt and a warming planet, it becomes a veritable hell for the citizens of those countries Increases in energy and transport costs and in interest rates have spurred inflation. It means that no one, even on the other side of the world, can escape the hardships in meeting their daily needs. The truth is, until there is a two state solution that respects the rights and territories of both the Israelis and Palestinians, we will continue to live on the edge in this world. And you may well ask, how have we gotten here? We need to address with laser like focus each and every one of these conflicts. Legitimacy demands that of us. And let us let the UN deliberately and systematically deploy nimble mediation teams led by political leaders, current and retired. On behalf of the Secretary General and enjoying the Secretary General's confidence and authority and the respect of Member States. This, my friends, will help lift the heavy weight necessary to end these multiple conflicts and to bring peace and dignity to those affected populations. We know that many hands make light work and we can't ignore it. These conflicts need to be supported by a quicker and technology enhanced observer force, capable of rapid deployment to monitor and support ceasefires and peace agreements to be given the resources. These peacekeeping forces must be given realistic mandates, predictable financing and true partnership. Let us work my friends together with the parties to these conflicts, to build dialogue and to bring opportunities for investment and jobs to the affected populations so that they too, can live properly. And as for the wider international legal order, we know that countries of every size and capacity depend on a system in which rules are made collectively and applied consistently and fairly But if we don't act early enough, we have trouble. And that is why we say that the UN must receive the resources and the resolve to act before the guns speak, and not after the guns start to fly. My friends, without an equitable rules based order, smaller states like mine will simply cease to exist in this world.
