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We count on the continued mobilisation of member states of the United Nations and its agencies of regional organization, of scientific institutions, institutions and of technologies platforms to translate this resolution into concrete action. Because a resolution must not remain a text, a resolution must become action. Action must become knowledge. Knowledge must become education, and education must become understanding among peoples. As we say, a map does not redraw the border of the world. It transforms the way we see the world ourselves. Togo now wishes to move from resolution to action. We propose the opening of a new phase of international cooperation, bringing together the Member States, the Agency of United Nations with a scientific and academic institution. Geographer and cartographers, historian, educators, young people, and the innovators shaping the technologies of tomorrow, including artificial intelligence. Our objective is clear, dear friends, to make cartography an even more powerful instrument of knowledge, education, inclusion and mutual understanding amongst people, we must encourage research. We must develop also a new education. Tools for our generation.
International law and international humanitarian law cannot be applied in a selective manner; they will only be truly and fulfill their role when they are respected and upheld by all. In our region, terrorism, violent extremism, and transnational crimes also remind us that peace requires prevention, strong institutions, and cooperation, and requires opportunities. Africa is the continent with the youngest population in the world. Therefore, investing in our young people, in education, in knowledge, and in the possibility of building a dignified life means also investing in peace.
By the end of May, rainfall was 44% below the long-term average. We are investing in resilient infrastructure. But no small island developing state can adapt indefinitely to a crisis the world continues to intensify. Adaptation cannot excuse inaction elsewhere. Distinguished colleagues, the science is unequivocal. The years 2015 to 2025 were the warmest on record, and in 2025, global average temperature remained about 1.43 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial baseline, while global mean sea level stood approximately 11 centimeters higher than in 1993. For island nations, this is a question of sovereignty and statehood. If our coastlines retreat, our sovereignty must not. Mr. President, climate-induced sea level rise must never erase a state's international legal personality. Extinguish its UN membership, deprive its people of nationality, or diminish lawfully established maritime zones of sovereign rights. The International Law Commission has laid foundations for continuity of statehood, sovereignty, and maritime entitlements. This Assembly must turn them into firm guarantees. International law has spoken with increasing clarity. Saint Kitts and Nevis welcomed the International Court of Justice's advisory opinion on states' climate obligations. Clarification must now become compliance. Compliments must become conduct. And promises must become performance. States must reduce emissions, strengthen adaptation on climate finance responsibilities, and cooperate with countries bearing consequences vastly disproportionate to their contribution to this crisis. Mr. President, those contributions least must not pay the greatest price. Our oceans must also move from promises to protection. Saint Kitts and Nevis ratified a BBNJ agreement in 2025. Implementation now matters. Large ocean states need access to capacity building, marine technology, scientific knowledge, and financing, while benefits from marine genetics resources must be shared fairly. For island nations, the ocean is not the space between us and the world; it is our highway, heritage, livelihood, and lifeline.
restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that delivers for all, resonates well with the moment of time we find ourselves in right now. There is no denying that the architecture of multilateralism and international law founded on the UN charter is under enormous stress, and restoring that trust in that architecture is critical, particularly for small island developing states like Tuvalu, whose sovereignty and future are anchored in that very architecture. Tuvalu, therefore, stands in solidarity with fellow member states in contributing to the restoration of that trust and advancing the necessary reforms and transformation that will enable the United Nations to deliver for all. Mr. president, Tuvalu, like other countries, is being challenged by various enforced transformations that threaten our land, values, knowledge and cultures. Climate change is transforming our physical environment. Technology is transforming how we communicate, govern and preserve knowledge. Artificial intelligence is changing the way economies and society function. The challenge is not to stop transformation. Rather, the challenge is to manage transformation in a manner that protect people, preserve what is valuable, and give every country the capacity to determine its own future.
The UN Charter begins with the commitment: "We, the peoples." Yet the UN marginalizes Taiwan's 23 million people, disregarding that foundational purpose. We stand with like-minded partners in calling for the reversal of misrepresented interpretations of the rules and procedures that have constrained Taiwan's meaningful participation in this body. Under the UN Charter, small states are sovereign states with the right to determine their own future, choose their partners, and pursue development that serves their people. We urge all parties to preserve peace and stability, resolve differences peacefully, and choose dialogue over escalation. Beyond politics and policy, one truth should unite us: our children and their children deserve a world that is safe, healthy, and clean. For that reason, our discussions here and beyond must lead to action--action that protects the conditions in which every child can live, grow, and thrive. We acknowledge, while not yet at the scale required, that the architecture is being built, political momentum is growing, and resources are beginning to mobilize, even amidst a complex geopolitical landscape. Our traditional wisdom reminds us: "Nsisi'ao nkhmedam eth." Be strong and do not give up. The shore is near. The promise of multilateralism is that even the smallest can be heard, and that the many voices shaped by different histories and experiences can move toward a common shore. In Palau, we also say:" Attohoi awaioun." Knowledge is like ocean waves. It comes in many forms and sizes, yet no wave overpowers another, and they ultimately reach the same shore. Let us leave this Assembly committed to multilateralism that honors every voice, values every form of knowledge, and carries us toward a safer, healthier, and more peaceful world.
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No. 6
Netherlands09/24 · first at about 11 min2 mentions
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.
And I thought it's a good idea to share with you my thoughts. Gunpowder changed the battlefield. Nuclear fission changed the meaning of human survival. Artificial intelligence is changing something even more intimate: who can enter the minds of a citizen, imitate a trusted voice, manufacture a reality calibrated to one person's fears, and do so millions and millions of times at once. Albania is not a developer of frontier models, but we are a nation that has already lived the future others are still debating, and I think a simple message is what we owe to all of you. The greatest immediate danger is not that artificial intelligence will stop obeying humanity. The greatest danger is that it will obey the wrong human beings perfectly. The challenge comes in three layers. What artificial intelligence does instead of us, what it does to us. And who gains the power to reach us? First, what it does instead of us. The public debate imagines machines that awaken, acquire ambitions and turn against their creators. But the systems confronting us today do not wake up with hatred in their hearts. They multiply ours. They have no ambition of their own. They serve the ambition of others. They carry no flag. But they can be deployed by a state. They tell no lie for their own benefit. But they can tell a billion lies on others behalf. The machine has no conscience. But it can borrow the reach of a government, the precision of a weapon and the intimacy of a friend. At the same time, the economic incentives surrounding artificial intelligence increasingly reward the replacement of human effort, rather than the enlargement of human capacity. Write the code so that I do not have to understand it. Draft the report so that I do not have to think through it. Make the judgment so that I do not have to assume responsibility for it. When success is measured only by how much work the machine removes from the human being, we may create more efficient institutions, but will have less capable people. A civilization that outsources effort may eventually outsource knowledge. A civilization that outsources knowledge may eventually outsource judgment, and the civilization that outsources judgment may discover that it also outsources responsibility. This is not inevitable. It is a choice. We can build artificial intelligence that teaches rather than merely answers, guides rather than commands, and strengthens the human being instead of making the human being dependent upon it. The question cannot be only how quickly did the machine complete the task? We must also ask, what did the human being learn? Who understood the decision? Who can challenge the decision and who answers for the decision when it is wrong? Albania became the first country to bring an artificial intelligence instrument into the architecture of government through Diella, our worldwide known artificial intelligence minister. We did not do this to transfer sovereignty from people to a machine. We did it to make public services more accessible, procedures more transparent, and the state more accountable. No machine possesses democratic legitimacy. No algorithm inherits constitutional responsibility. Behind every consequential public decision, there must remain a legal mandate, a human institution, and a name that can be called to give answers. The second layer is what artificial intelligence can do to us. Artificial intelligence inside an accountable state can reduce the distance between citizens and public services. Artificial intelligence outside accountability can eliminate the distance between a lie and the human mind. Albania experienced this directly. I am sure you must have followed or just known the so-called Flamingo Revolution, a fabricated narrative of an Israeli invasion of the Albanian coast, an invasion that never occurred, was manufactured, was personalized and delivered through voices, pages and channels citizens already trusted. One citizen received a story of national betrayal. Another received a story of religious provocation. Another received a conspiracy of foreign occupation. Different fabrications entered different emotional worlds, all serving the same strategic lie. The consequences were real. Citizens had their own reasons to protest. Don't take me wrong. But suddenly they started to protest also against a phantom enemy. Antisemitic tropes entered our public discourse for the first time ever. Don't forget, Albania is the only country in Europe that ended World War Two with more Jews than it started it. Fear became anger. Anger became mobilization and fabrication became political reality. And this is not and was not a laboratory experiment. I'm not talking to you about a science fiction movie. It was a Tuesday in Tirana, our capital city. The algorithm did not invent the objective. A human actor did.
We have discovered, and we are telling the world, the ideology of corruption is part and parcel of the destruction of knowledge technology, research, infrastructure and knowing how to properly make use of capital The ideology of corruption runs counter to development. It runs counter to our democracies. For that reason, we must overthrow the ideological concept of corruption. We want partners that understand that an investment is not just a transfer of funds of money.
Mr. president, as we work to correct the imbalances inherited from the last century, we must not allow them to be reproduced in the future. Artificial intelligence opens boundless horizons for growth, knowledge, innovation and improved services. Yet it may also create a vast new divide and power linked to computing capacity, data models skills and financing. Therefore managing this transformation requires the establishment of governance frameworks for artificial intelligence and emerging technologies on the basis that technology is a global public benefit and not an exclusive privilege enjoyed by a limited number of states or corporations. Egypt supports the role of the United Nations and a global dialogue to develop principles that balance innovation and responsibility, protect privacy, guarantee transparency, accountability, non-discrimination, human oversight, respect for international law, technology and knowledge transfer, financing of digital infrastructure and skills development. This would enable developing countries to become producers and developers of technology, rather than merely being markets for its consumption. Artificial intelligence should also reflect the linguistic and cultural diversity of the world Arab and African languages and communities should receive fair representation and data and models. Egypt has launched the second edition of its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025 2030, grounded in its firm conviction that the safe and responsible use of technology and the development of national capacities are inseparable requirements. The same principle governs the green transition. There can be no just transition if ambition is dissociated from fair implementation.
Ladies and gentlemen, artificial intelligence is here to stay and to be used to assist us, as has been the case with every major technology throughout human history. Like any new technology, AI poses risks and brings challenges. But with knowledge, wisdom, and unity, we can put its use in the service of humanity. As a co-chair of the first UN global dialogue on AI covenants alongside El Salvador, Estonia has proudly brought its knowledge and experience in service of the UN and its member states. Personally, I had the honor of becoming one of the commissioners of the AI for Good global commission this summer. For me, this role means both trust and responsibility to help ensure that AI serves people, that its use is secure and reliable, and that its benefits reach as many countries and communities as possible. As the current President of the UNICEF Executive Board, Estonia has been paying particular attention to the topic of innovation in education, notably how to advance in a responsible way safe, inclusive, and child-centered learning with the support of AI. In Estonia, we have introduced a massive education innovation program we call the AI LEAP, whose aim is to assist schools, students, and teachers alike to adapt to the age of AI and foster meaningful learning. Artificial intelligence should empower teaching and learning rather than replace them. Under the auspices of the United Nations, notably through close cooperation with UNICEF, we are bringing our experience and best practice to the global scene, ensuring that AI creates equal opportunities for all humanity. We know for certain that digitalization, which has now been reinforced by AI, has enabled our small country to grow, innovate, and connect globally. This is why we have shared our experience with around 150 other countries worldwide. And this is also why Estonia has nominated a candidate for the position of Director of the ITU Development Bureau. You can trust us to work to turn connectivity into lasting capability, and to ensure that no country is left behind in the digital transformation. We hope to count on your valuable support. Ladies and gentlemen, the very fact that we are gathered here today should give us hope that we still share a commitment to the United Nations Charter and to multilateral cooperation. Otherwise, why would we keep coming to New York year after year? Let us preserve what matters, adapt where we must, and design the future together. We have a choice: to shape change or to be shaped by it. And we can only shape it if we stand together.
Today, we Mongols aim to share with the world our cultural heritage and the traditional knowledge and experiences gained from living in harmony with nature, thereby contributing to enhanced adaptation and resilience to climate change. Mr. President, Mongolia consistently adheres to the principle of resolving any conflicts through diplomacy and multilateral dialogue, while maintaining longstanding, friendly relations with the countries of the region. Building on this distinctive advantage, Mongolia held the 11th International Conference of the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security this year. The Ulaanbaatar Dialogue has evolved into a unique platform for strengthening trust and confidence building across Northeast Asia, facilitating multilateral discussions among government delegates and scholars not only on traditional security challenges such as political and disarmament matters, but also on a broad range of issues including energy, infrastructure, connectivity, green development and humanitarian cooperation.
If small sized states are expected to comply with the rules, then the rules must also provide them with predictability. If candidates for membership in an organisation are required to meet certain criteria, then meeting those criteria must lead to progress. If we ask citizens to trust institutions, then institutions must demonstrate that their word has value and that their commitments endure. The rule that applies today cannot be different tomorrow, simply because the balance of powers has changed, and a commitment undertaken cannot be a temporary political convenience. It must be a foundation on which people can plan their future. We ask our citizens to believe in cooperation, in good neighbourly relations, in compromises and in mutual respect. We tell them that lasting peace is worth more than a short term political victory, that respecting agreements is a sign of strength and wisdom, and that it is the right thing to do, not a sign of weakness. The European and Euro-Atlantic integration means accepting rules that apply equally to all. But that argument becomes much harder to sustain when citizens see that in international relations, principle sometimes gives way to power, that criteria can change while the process is already underway, or that some are expected to demonstrate consistency that others do not always demand of themselves. We cannot tell people trust the rules when they can see that the rules do not apply equally. We cannot convince them that compromise is a virtue if every compromise produces a new demand, and we cannot expect trust in international institutions if citizens come to believe that their fate is created more often by the political weight of their state than by the strength of an agreed principle. This is a question of legitimacy, because our authority as elected leaders does not derive from the office itself. It derives from the people who elect us, who hold us to account, and who every day compare what we tell them with what they see. And today they see more than ever before. We live in an age in which information travels around the world in seconds. Never before has humanity had access to so much knowledge, but never before has it been exposed to so much manipulation, half truths, fabricated images, propaganda, and organised disinformation. That is precisely why politics is entering a new, more difficult and more complex era. Our task is no longer simply to inform our citizens.
Mr. president, excellencies, my friends, we meet at a time when the obstacles confronting human progress are multiplying, obstacles to peace, obstacles to food and clean water, obstacles to finance, medicine and education, obstacles to movement and opportunity. Obstacles to technology, to the knowledge and infrastructure needed to use it, and increasingly, obstacles between nations, between communities, and between people who no longer agree on the same facts or trust the same institutions. War continues to destroy lives and communities. Even though the international community possesses more tools than ever, ever before to prevent conflict and to facilitate dialogue. The climate crisis is accelerating. Even though the science is clear enough for us to act, and many of the solutions are already known. And despite unprecedented global wealth, millions remain without reliable access to food, water, health or shelter. These challenges, my friends, are creating the crises of which we constantly speak, and at the same time, new challenges are emerging. Artificial intelligence is opening extraordinary possibilities in health, education, science, and productivity while also creating new risk of exclusion, exploitation, surveillance and the distortion of truth. And yet, the cooperation needed to confront these challenges is under strain. It is why I believe the theme this year is so apt. Restoring trust. Managing transformation. A united nation that delivers for all. The theme reminds us that we have institutions created to preserve peace, to advance development, and yes, to protect human dignity. The institutions are these very United Nations. We have shared principles grounded in sovereign equality, and in the recognition that our responsibilities extend beyond borders. The reality is that we understand that there is, regrettably enough, for us to be able to invest in prevention rather than waiting to finance reconstruction. We understand enough about the climate crisis to reduce the emissions that are warming our planet, and take the necessary steps for our populations to adapt. We equally now understand enough about the rapid development of AI to know that as we welcome its promise, we must anchor its development in a universal, humanizing framework that does not imperil our existence as human beings. The failure, my friends, to address these challenges, therefore, is not one simply of knowledge or capacity. It is a repeated failure to convert what we know into what we do. To turn principle into practice and global capacity into solidarity So beneath our many crises lies yet another one. And yes, it is a crisis of responsibility. Mr. president, that responsibility begins here in these halls.
A United Nations that delivers for all. This theme invites us to consider international cooperation in a world that is subject to profound challenges for Equatorial Guinea. Trust is strengthened when we fulfill commitments that have been made and decisions that have been adopted collectively, and when visible results can be produced The countries of the Global South need cooperation that preserves peace, that drives sustainable and inclusive growth, and that expands the ability of each state to build its own future. Therefore, 21st century cooperation should provide opportunities for the mobilisation of financing to transfer, transform raw materials and to develop one's own knowledge and technologies. Excellencies, this vision is especially relevant for Africa, which needs investments that can allow it to develop local value chains, build infrastructure, advance industrialization, strengthen human capital, incorporate new technologies and generate employment. Especially for the continent's large youth population. A more productive and industrialized Africa will be a stronger partner for all of the To benefit to the benefit of all of those wanting to halt its emigration. Excellencies. When the 2030 agenda was adopted, the world embraced its deeply human vision. Eradicating poverty, protecting the planet. And making sure that all people can live with dignity. Leaving no one behind. However, as we approach its end date, we are far from meeting its goals. Poverty persists, inequality is expanding, and climate change continues to rage. It is clear that we need an international financial architecture that facilitates productive investments, that takes into account the real vulnerabilities of developing countries, and supports the efforts of each nation. It is therefore urgent to implement the resolutions adopted at the conferences in Addis Ababa in 2015 and in Serbia last year.
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.
We see it not only as a place that showcases the past, but as a house of knowledge, thought, and enlightenment. Today, in an era when social networks and artificial intelligence are spreading hatred and stereotypes at a rapid pace, it is important to remind this truth once again. Uzbekistan will consistently continue international cooperation aimed at strengthening dialogue between cultures and religions, enlightenment and tolerance. Dear President, ladies and gentlemen, all of us want to live in a world where human dignity is the highest priority.
We want to develop these resources with clear rules, in full respect of the environment and for the benefit of our communities. Our extraordinary biodiversity, natural riches, and cultural heritage make us a country with a vast wealth of potential for tourism. We have crystal-clear waters and reefs in the Bay Islands. We have the Great Copan Ruins and the legacy of the Mayan civilization. And all of these things mean that we offer the world a unique combination of nature, history, and culture. And above all, we have the most valuable asset that any nation can hold: a young, hardworking, and capable population. A population who demands, and quite rightly so, the opportunity to use their talent on their own in their own country. We want to see investment. We want investment to arrive in the country and to stay. We want investment that creates jobs and which brings knowledge to the table to train our young people. My commitment is to facilitate investment in Honduras. Honduras is in a period of renewal.
We already have knowledge. But what we need now is the will to use them. This year, the United Nations will choose its next Secretary-General. Slovakia supports a transparent and inclusive process based on merit, with due regard to regional diversity and gender balance. And I would also like to thank Secretary-General António Guterres for his dedicated service and leadership during these difficult years. The next Secretary-General will inherit an organization under serious security, geopolitical, institutional, and financial pressure. But the future of the United Nations will not depend on one person alone. It depends on all of us, on our will, courage, and determination.
Mr. President, Botswana supports reforms that strengthen the effectiveness, coherence, and responsiveness of the United Nations system. We also believe that efficiency gains should be redeployed to strengthen the capacity of the organization to prevent conflict, address emerging security threats, and deliver meaningful results in program countries in line with the UN80 vision. It is in this spirit that Botswana accords the highest priority to its partnerships with the United Nations Office of Counterterrorism, UN-Habitat, the International Trade Center, the International Organization for Migration, among others. We particularly recognize UNOCT's leadership role in strengthening the United Nations' collective efforts to prevent and counter terrorism and violent extremism, and in translating international commitments into practical support for member states. Botswana remains committed to further deepening its cooperation with UNOCT and the wider United Nations system through capacity building, technical assistance, knowledge sharing, and the exchange of good practices. Such partnerships demonstrate that a responsive United Nations can build trust, strengthen national capacity, and foster peace and security. Mr. President, no reform agenda, including UN80, is complete without addressing the long-standing inequities within the Security Council. In this regard, Botswana reaffirms its support for comprehensive Security Council reform and aligns itself with the common African position as articulated in the Ezuluiny Consensus and the Sirte Declaration. We believe that a Security Council that continues to exclude Africa and Latin America from permanent membership cannot credibly claim to reflect contemporary geopolitical realities. We also call on the United Nations to continue to explore the creation of an inclusive international framework on emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. We recognize technology as a bridge that narrows global inequality. This extends to critical minerals, rare earths, and energy resources that power the technological revolution, many of which come from developing countries.
Here from the United Nations. We say to the world. Invest with Iraq. Iraq has resources, markets, a good location, and the necessary will to build a new economy. Our government is hard at work to develop mutually beneficial partnerships. Create employment opportunities, transfer technology and knowledge, and develop Iraq's productive capabilities. Ladies and gentlemen. The security of states and the maintenance of peace are a shared responsibility.
Mr. president, the ocean is the heart of Micronesian identity, livelihood and future prosperity. It faces mounting pressure from climate change, sea level rise, pollution and unsustainable exploitation. Micronesia calls for a collective effort to fortify ocean governance, sustainable fishing management and effective conservation of marine biodiversity. Being the first country to sign the BBNJ Agreement, we are among the first movers, comprising six nations to implement the BBNJ. Micronesia is partnering with GIZ and five co leading states to develop area-based management tools and marine protected area proposals under the BBNJ framework, translating our commitment to conserve 30% of our ocean into concrete, durable protection for areas beyond national jurisdiction. Mr. president, on deep sea mining in the International Seabed Area, Micronesia employs a precautionary approach. We stress the need to consolidate comprehensive knowledge, data and science about the marine environment before any decision is taken on proceeding with exploitation. Additionally, it is crucial that all stakeholders, including adjacent coastal states, indigenous people and local communities in the Pacific, are meaningfully consulted prior to such a decision. Mr. president, we must address the growing threat of plastic pollution that degrades the Pacific ecosystem and communities. Marine debris, microplastics and associated toxic substances are accumulating on our shores. Our lagoons, for example, in the state of Chuuk, where oil leaks from World War Two remnants led to the emergency declaration last year, continue to threaten our livelihood. This impact imposes disproportionate cleanup and economic burdens on small island governments, whose waste management infrastructure is inadequate. Our national efforts must be matched by strengthened international cooperation, including technical assistance, predictable finance and collective actions across the plastic life cycle to prevent pollution at its source and protect the Blue Pacific for present and future generations. Micronesia calls on the international community to match local action with global responsibility through sustained funding, meaningful technology transfer, stricter upstream control on plastic production and an end to waste exporting. Critically, the international community must complete its work on a new treaty to end plastic pollution including the marine environment. Mr. president and Excellencies, with less than five years to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, the international community must respond with renewed political resolve, scaled up financing and accelerated implementation.
Africa must move beyond its historical role as an exporter of raw materials or greater value addition, manufacturing, technological innovation, and knowledge driven growth. Our abundant natural resources must become engines of shared prosperity rather than sources of perpetual dependency. Mr. president, no nation, however formidable its defenses, can secure itself completely against dangers sustained beyond its borders. Terrorism, organized crime, cyber attacks and illicit finance exploit the gaps between our national responses, drawing strength from the divisions that weaken collective action.
It is therefore, that the CARICOM ten-point plan for restorative justice is now of eminent importance. Mr. president, Suriname occupies a unique position. We are carbon negative and remain the world's most forested country with over 90% forest coverage. High Forested and Low Deforestation countries like Suriname should not first have to lose forests before climate finance institutions recognize the value of protecting them. Conservation costs cannot be borne only by the countries protecting ecosystems whose benefits are shared globally. So I will continue my plea for just and effective climate finance, because our forests are under even more pressure than when I addressed this meeting last year. I stated that the forests faced competition of rich natural resources like gold, diamonds and other precious minerals. We are now confronted, however, with a new threat of people who also want to clear parts of our rainforests for large scale agriculture. We will need to prevent that, and we can use every assistance. At this very moment, my government is introducing legal and institutional measures to better protect our forests and the immediate living environment of indigenous people and tribal communities. Their knowledge and participation are important at all stages of development.
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.
It opens extraordinary opportunities for scientific progress, medicine, education, and the fight against climate change. Yet it also compels us to ask a question that no previous generation has had to face with such urgency: how can we ensure that technological progress remains human progress? This is the debate that truly lies before us. It is not a debate about machines; it is a debate about ourselves. We must ensure that artificial intelligence expands opportunities rather than inequalities, that it protects human rights rather than putting them at risk, that it strengthens our democracies rather than weakening them, and that it preserves the cultural and linguistic diversity that is one of humanity's most valuable heritages. For a country such as Andorra, this last aspect is particularly relevant. The digital revolution must not lead to cultural homogenization that condemns languages with fewer speakers to invisibility. That is why we advocate for a global digital governance that fully incorporates respect for multilingualism, cultural diversity, and equal access to knowledge.
Not only do they protect knowledge and identity, they also allow people to adapt and to create. Bulgaria will continue to uphold this agreement at the international level as well. Our election as a member of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage for 2026-2030 is an opportunity to make this commitment an even more active contribution. Excellencies, all of these efforts lead toward a common goal: a world in which peace, security, human rights, and development are supported and upheld, in which international law protects human dignity.
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.
Mr. President, Mr. Secretary General, Your Excellencies, every generation believes the challenges they face are unmatched. Perhaps for us that is true. We are at a unique moment in history. The scale of knowledge and the speed of change are unprecedented. Every day brings another crisis, another tragedy, another emergency demanding our attention. One study shows that average screen attention has fallen from 2.5 minutes in 2004 to just 47 seconds today. Of course, a screen is not the world, but that says something about our world today that attention has become a scarce asset, and where we choose to direct it has never mattered more. And in this chamber, attention is more than a cognitive resource. It is a geopolitical one. It determines which conflicts receive sustained diplomacy and which fade from the agenda. Whether a cease fire holds after the cameras leave, whether humanitarian suffering remains intolerable or becomes familiar and whether the world steps up or scrolls and strolls away. History rarely catches us entirely by surprise. More often, it catches us focused elsewhere. Economic disparity, food insecurity, climate change disasters. None of these challenges emerged overnight. The warning signs have been there. The question is whether our attention lasts long enough to act, and what we neglect has a habit of shaping our future.
Artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are already transforming our way of life and the way in which we work. The enthusiasm they give rise to also goes hand in hand with the very real concerns, the current debates about the most extreme risks of AI remind us that technological progress cannot be divorced from responsibility. As we confront these transformations, we should endow our young people with the means to develop their critical thinking skills and their creativity. And this is exactly what education is supposed to do transmit knowledge and competencies, but also to teach young people to call things into question, to open up to others and to shoulder your responsibilities. Against this backdrop, I believe that we should have one guiding principle. Human beings should be at the heart of all of our decision making. We must protect the rights, security, and the well-being of all. We should also listen to young people, ask them what we can build, working hand in hand.
There are acute humanitarian, environmental and economic challenges. My country Mauritania. Knows full well the importance and sensitivity of this moment. We would like to stress with humility from this common home that brings us together from the United Nations, that we all shoulder this responsibility before history. We have to leave to the future generations a better world than the one we've inherited. We are capable of that. Once we redirect ourselves to the path of peace through renewing our common and joint effort. The United Nations must regain its effectiveness to serve peace and security, especially common security. We can do that if we rightfully address the deep transformations that are reshaping the entire international landscape. The. These are the provisions of the 2030 agenda, its goals and objectives, and the expanded scope of knowledge, the accelerated technology, and their subsequent results and impacts. We can do that if we return with wisdom to what our Founding Fathers have been guided upon the common principles and purposes that gather us under the umbrella of the United Nations for more than eight decades.
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No. 31
Sierra Leone09/22 · first at about 12 min1 mention
In 2024, we enacted the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and subsequently championed the proclamation of 27th November as the International Day for the Elimination of Child Early and Forced Marriage. A girl in Sierra Leone is no more or less precious than a girl anywhere else in our beautiful world. Protecting her childhood education and freedom is part of what development is supposed to mean. A girl's future, like the future of every young person, will be shaped by forces already remaking our world: climate change, artificial intelligence, and the energy transition. The meaning of For all becomes more urgent as we decide how these transformations will be governed. Artificial intelligence can improve, of course, education, health, agriculture, and public administration. It can also widen the inequality if infrastructure, knowledge and rule making remains concentrated in a few countries. Developing nations must help shape the standards that will govern technologies affecting their people. Climate change presents the same moral question in harsher form.
They're increasingly technological. Mr. president, digital connectivity and rapid technology advancements are transforming how we live. They offer significant opportunities for big ocean sovereign states, BOSS, but they also risk creating new inequalities and dependencies. Those who benefit last from global change often bear its highest costs. We continue to live with that injustice through climate change. We cannot again be asked to adapt only after systems have been built and the rules written. For Tonga, submarine cables and satellite links are foundational infrastructures that connect our islands to global opportunities. But connectivity alone is not enough. Digital skills and secure, resilient systems must support it, and we will protect our children online and retain sovereignty over our national data. Tonga does not need to be first in artificial intelligence, quantum computing or every technology that follows. But Tonga will not simply endure global transformations. It will exercise sovereignty by helping shape the rules and norms around it. Tonga is looking beyond conventional development models. We are seeking to unlock new forms of finance through responsible valuation of our natural assets, our ocean assets, while exploring the potential of frontier technologies such as quantum science. We will form the right partnerships. We will direct innovation towards our priorities. But the Pacific's data, ocean biodiversity, critical minerals and traditional knowledge must not power the next technological revolution while returning only a fraction of their value to our people. Mr. president, from experience, Tonga knows its challenges and we will meet them with determination that has always defined our people. We also know our strengths as a BOSS. We are not asking for charity. We will do our part. We will simply ask that others do theirs. Meet the 1.5°C threshold. Help us protect the planet we all share and the ocean that connects us. Ensure that everyone benefits from technological advancements. Recognise the imbalance between the funds we commit to addressing our collective development challenges and those we are prepared to spend on conflict.
Your Excellency António Guterres, the UN Secretary general. Your Excellency Rahman the president of the 81st General Assembly. Your excellencies, heads of state and government, distinguished delegates. Ladies and gentlemen allow me to congratulate His Excellency Khalilur Rahman on his election as president of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, in the hope that with his vast experience and profound knowledge of our organization, he will render a valuable service to the United Nations, which is facing complex challenges that must be overcome in order to retake its key role in addressing the major issues of contemporary international relations. I also congratulate Miss Annalena Baerbock, who preceded him in the discharge of these noble duties, who did not spare efforts in her term that she carried out with undeniable competence to preserve the role of United Nations in addressing the issues that most concern the international community today. I would like also to congratulate His Excellency Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who has been working tirelessly and devoted himself with persistent dedication to the great global causes, building bridges for dialogue in the search for peaceful solutions to the problems facing humanity.
We are entering a new era of artificial intelligence, biotechnology and science. Technology is advancing very rapidly, but its opportunities are still not equally accessible to all. Bangladesh's large young population and growing digital capabilities have created new possibilities for us. To harness these opportunities. Access to advanced technology, knowledge and research must be brought within everyone's reach. We do not want today's digital divide to become tomorrow's artificial intelligence divide. Bangladesh respects innovation and intellectual property at the same time. It is essential to ensure technology transfer, skills development and affordable access to modern technologies for developing countries. No country should be left behind in this scientific advancement. Bangladesh stands ready to work together to build a fair and prosperous future for all. It is now time for the United Nations to adopt an effective policy framework, so that the benefits of the development and rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and social media can be harnessed positively across countries. Mr. president.
While we discuss how to modernize institutions created in 1945, we're seeing the emergence of the most powerful technology that humankind has ever known, and no one's governing it. Artificial intelligence is not only a technical matter that we can delegate to experts, it is an ethical challenge, and it's a geopolitical issue. We reject the false dilemma between innovation and responsibility. We don't believe that going quicker is always better, and neither are we going to turn our back on opportunities as a result of fear. For our country, AI can amount to and mean growth of between 10% and 20%. As such, we are choosing the path that we call one of responsible pace. That means making progress as quickly as our ability to administer progress allows. We have regulations that make things possible that do not hamper progress. We have investment in talent and in energy, and we have rigorous assessments of everything that's happening. We want to lead from a position of knowledge and not fear. And I say this in this room for one reason. The United Nations must be able to bring humankind together to discuss a technology that will decide the fate of this century. Nothing can simply be resolved by an algorithm. Mr. president, allow me to go back to the beginning. The president that I talked about, that spoke here 74 years ago, spoke on behalf of his people and discarded ideological differences.
Specifically, my government's foreign policy is guided by national interests by the defense of our sovereignty, and by the pursuit of results. That national interest I refer to also has a specific objective that is ensuring the prosperity of our people. Foreign policy should serve to create jobs, to attract investment and technology, to open markets, and to create opportunities for Colombians. With that goal in mind, I wish to extend an invitation to the world. Come to Colombia, invest in Colombia grow and prosper with Colombia Believe in Colombia. I don't promise you a perfect country, but I can assure you that I am working tirelessly to build you a nation that is, to build a nation that is safer, more prosperous, and with more opportunities for its people. Colombia does not come before the world today to ask others to do for us what it is our responsibility to do for ourselves rebuilding our country, restoring security, growing the economy, protecting our institutions, and giving opportunities back to millions of people are first and foremost responsibilities that fall to Colombians. But we also know that no nation can turn its back on the world. We need partners and friends with whom we can trade, invest, exchange knowledge, and address common threats. That is the Colombia that I present to you today, a country that is well aware of its difficulties, but also of its enormous potential. A country that doesn't try to hide its problems, but rather to confront them. A country that is getting back on its feet and knows where it wants to go. To the nations represented here, I extend my hand respectfully and through friendship. Colombia wants to work with you on everything that we can build together. I want within a few years, when the world looks again at my country, I want them to see a nation that is safer, more prosperous, more well respected and above all, far more confident in its own abilities. And if that is the Colombia that the world sees, there'll be no need to explain what I meant when I spoke of the Patria Milagro, the miracle nation.
The pact for the future reminds us of precisely this responsibility: that the decisions we make today must not undermine the possibilities of those who will live with their consequences tomorrow. But future generations should not only be the subject of our decisions. They should have a voice in making them. And Montenegro has heard the call from the young people to move from participation to real influence in decision-making. Young people are not simply beneficiaries of public policy. They are partners in shaping it. And education— education is our most powerful investment in young people— equipping them with knowledge, with critical thinking, with values they need to shape a better world. And this is very personal to me as well. I know what education can make possible. I was born and educated in Montenegro, and it was education, education, which gave me the opportunity to study and work abroad, to learn from other countries, from other institutions, and to ultimately return home to serve my own country. It shaped my belief that the place where a child is born should never define the limits of what that child can become. Coming from a small country, one can sometimes assume that greater size brings greater vision and greater wisdom. But the United Nations reminds us of a simple truth: vision and wisdom are not measured by the size of a country, but by the ideas we bring and the responsibility with which we act upon.
We cannot call upon security in and of itself to bear the burden of peace. Economic recovery needs to be the other pillar. This is why we welcome the decision taken by the administration of President Donald Trump to extend through 2028 the trade preference known as HOPE/HELP. We are deeply grateful for this gesture of friendship, which is an important step for our economic recovery, and we call for it to be extended by ten years. We also want to extend our gratitude to the United Kingdom for the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, and we call upon more countries to put in place similar mechanisms that are capable of transforming access to markets and to opportunities for trade and investment. Haiti needs investment to craft its future. This is why today Haiti is calling for a paradigm shift. We need to move from aid to investment, from assistance to production, from dependency to partnership, and we must gradually transform resources mobilized in order to manage the crisis into investments that can create jobs and sustainable opportunities, in particular for our young people and our women. Because when you no longer hear the sound of the guns, you need to hear the sounds of peace: engines that are starting, construction sites that are beginning work again, bustling markets, women that are running businesses, young people that are working, the laughter of children that are playing, and our streets that again, are rediscovering the rhythm of our music and our life. Those who have had the privilege of knowing Haiti know that this country exists behind the images of crises. There's a people that is welcoming and has a vibrant culture with unique knowledge, with stunning beaches and heritage, and exceptional richness. We need to recreate the conditions so that the world can come to Haiti again to discover it, invest in it, do business there and stay there and come back.
This must change. Excellencies, The second test of power is inequality. Inequality is often framed as an economic problem. It is a power problem. Power over opportunity, resources, voice. Never has humanity possessed so much wealth, knowledge, and technological capability. Yet for billions, progress remains out of reach. They see prosperity around them, but not for themselves. They are told globalization expands horizons, but they experience exclusion. They are promised that technology will unlock new possibilities, yet many fear it will take away their livelihoods. Meanwhile, billions of people still live without the essentials embedded in the Sustainable Development Goals. Food. Clean water. Education. Decent work. Health care. Dignity. Excellencies, No country should be denied a sustainable future because it is on the wrong side of a deeply unequal financial system. Yet so many throughout the developing world are being crushed by unsustainable debt. Battered by disasters they did little to cause. And locked out of affordable finance. That is why we have pushed relentlessly: For reform of the international financial architecture – which is not a technical debate, but a question of representation, fairness and power. For debt relief that is timely, effective and just. For Multilateral Development Banks that are bigger, bolder and better equipped to provide affordable long-term finance at scale and massively leverage private finance.
The Science for Development Summit 2026 was held in Delhi, August 2026, under the theme" Science in Service of Life." This was an initiative of myself and my brother, the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, Excellency Kairala Shanana Guzmán. We brought into Timor-Leste more than 20 Nobel laureates, scientists from around the world, leading thinkers to explore how science, technology, and innovation can be placed at the service of humanity and sustainable development. The same spirit of using knowledge, education, and human potential in the service of peace will also guide the chess for peace tournament played for Dili Timor-Leste in January 2027, jointly sponsored by my office and Mr. Keir San, former President of FIDE, International Chess Federation.
