{"id":118181,"date":"2017-09-19T09:54:10","date_gmt":"2017-09-19T13:54:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/72\/?p=118181\/"},"modified":"2017-09-19T10:34:03","modified_gmt":"2017-09-19T14:34:03","slug":"opening-of-the-general-debate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/72\/2017\/09\/19\/opening-of-the-general-debate\/","title":{"rendered":"Opening of the General Debate"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.69″ background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n

Opening of the General Debate<\/h1>\n
\n

19 September 2017<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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– As delivered –<\/em><\/h4>\n

Opening Statement by H.E. Mr. Miroslav Laj\u010d\u00e1k, President of the 72nd<\/sup> Session of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly, at Opening of\u00a0the General Debate of the 72nd Session of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

Before I delivery my statement, I want to express our solidarity with the people of Dominica, who suffered the devastation of Hurricane Maria overnight. Our thoughts are with others bracing for her impact \u2013 many of them having just come through the passage of Hurricane Irma.<\/p>\n

Heads of State and Government, Distinguished Ministers, Excellencies, Mr. Secretary-General, Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/em><\/p>\n

I am honored to welcome you all to New York for the General Debate of the 72nd Session of the General Assembly.<\/p>\n

I wish, however, that I could deliver a speech today, which is different to the one I prepared.<\/p>\n

I wish I could point to a long list of examples of mediation and early action successfully averting conflicts. I would prefer to talk only about people who move and migrate out of choice – not desperation. It would be great to congratulate you all for meeting your climate-related commitments, and for relegating extreme poverty to the history books.<\/p>\n

I hope that someone will, eventually, be able to deliver such a speech from this marble podium. But it cannot be me today.<\/p>\n

Instead, conflict persists as an ugly reality of our world. Civilians \u2013 not soldiers \u2013 are paying the highest price. Schools and hospitals \u2013 not military barracks \u2013 are the targets of attacks.<\/p>\n

I must also talk today about over 65 million people leaving their homes because they are forced to do so – not because they want to.\u00a0 I have to use my speech today to address other major challenges, including persistent poverty, growing inequalities, indiscriminate terrorist attacks, and worsening effects of climate change.<\/p>\n

These are global challenges – every country is coping with at least one. But they are also individual in nature, touching on the lives of each person.<\/p>\n

That is not to say that there is nothing to celebrate today. We have made a collective promise to humanity by signing up to the SDGs. We have rallied in support of peace agreements, such as that seen in Colombia. We have said \u201cenough is enough\u201d when it comes to climate change by signing the Paris Agreement.<\/p>\n

But we are not here today to dwell on our past achievements. We are here to look ahead. We will hear visions, ideas and \u2013 yes \u2013 criticisms and concerns over the coming week. These will chart the course of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ as it works to address the most urgent global challenges. I am confident that they will also travel home with you, and influence your work as the world\u2019s leaders.<\/p>\n

I will now, myself, start the ball rolling by outlining my vision for the 72nd Session.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_testimonial _builder_version=”3.0.69″ author=”MIROSLAV LAJ\u010c\u00c1K” portrait_url=”http:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/72\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2017\/08\/PGA72-small.jpg” url_new_window=”off” quote_icon=”on” use_background_color=”on” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” job_title=”President of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly” quote_icon_background_color=”#f5f5f5″]<\/p>\n

I may not have been able to deliver a happy statement today, praising us all for making the world a better place to live in. But I will work throughout this year to increase the chances that, someday, one of my successors will have this great privilege.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.69″ background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n

First, peace and prevention should be at the center of everything the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ does. Because, if you read the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Charter, there are only 5 references to \u201cwar\u201d. The word \u201cpeace\u201d, however, appears 47 times\u2026<\/p>\n

Unfortunately we are spending too much time and money reacting to conflicts, and not enough on preventing them. We need to recalibrate our efforts around peace and prevention. That is the only way to ensure that the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ is doing the job for which it was created.<\/p>\n

I want to be clear: placing peace and prevention first is not about requesting more capacity from the outside. The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ already has most of the tools it needs. What we are missing are the conditions in which they can be properly used.<\/p>\n

And the Sustaining Peace resolutions should be at the top of our toolbox. They challenge us to strengthen our response to crises before they result in the outbreak or recurrence of conflict. They call for a renewed focus on prevention. For this vision to come to life, these resolutions must be implemented. I hope to contribute to this process during my Presidency.<\/p>\n

Prevention must become a greater part of the General Assembly\u00b4s work. This will be important in our ongoing review of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ peace operations, and our engagement with the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ\u2019s first office of counterterrorism.<\/p>\n

Prevention must also be better integrated into our development and human rights work. When people can live decent lives – when rights are respected – when rule of law is present in everyday life \u2013 it is harder to turn societies to conflict.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Second, a stronger focus must be placed on people.<\/p>\n

This is because the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ was not made for diplomats or dignitaries. It was made for people.<\/p>\n

We know that many people have become disillusioned. Countless others around the world, however, have high hopes for us. They see the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ\u2019s blue flag as a first sign of safety and the beginning of change.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest tests for us will be the process to adopt the first Global Compact for Migration. Let me be frank here. This will be a difficult process.\u00a0 The issue of migration is highly divisive. We all have a different opinion on it. But we cannot turn this into an exercise of bureaucracy. We cannot be left with an agreement that works only on paper.<\/p>\n

Another major challenge that demands a focus on people is international terrorism. This is not a problem that can be solved with guns, or shut out by barriers. People are at its center. They are the ones contributing to it. They are the ones suffering because of it.<\/p>\n

The only way to succeed in both areas will be through choosing to focus on people, rather than rigidly sticking to our individual positions. We need viable global frameworks, which can be implemented by people – and for people – in real time.<\/p>\n

But I want to stress one thing: we cannot fail. If we do, how can we claim that the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ is the best forum in which to address global challenges? Those who are cynical about the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ will be proven right. Others will find it hard to hold on to their hope.<\/p>\n

A focus on people must also be more strongly felt in the humanitarian field. Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ access and help to those in dire need cannot be compromised by any party. Violations of International Humanitarian Law are too common, and accountability for these crimes is too rare.<\/p>\n

Finally, we must keep the promises we have made to advance prosperity and protect the planet.<\/p>\n

Through the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Climate Agreement we made a clear commitment. We promised to improve the lives of all people, and secure the future of the planet we live on. However we will not be able to achieve this without securing enough finances.\u00a0 We cannot sit and wait patiently for trillions of dollars to materialize. We must go out and search for them. This will involve more engagement with the private sector and financial institutions.<\/p>\n

I see the priority clusters of 1\/ peace and prevention, 2\/ people and 3\/ planet and prosperity as three sides of a triangle. They might not all be the same length, or the same width, but one is as important as the other.<\/p>\n

I am confident that this triangle will point in the direction of promising prospects for our world.<\/p>\n

Excellencies,<\/em><\/p>\n

Let us not forget other, important issues that need to be mainstreamed.<\/p>\n

Human rights are crucial. Neither peace nor development can take hold without them.<\/p>\n

We must remember that we have a lot of work to do when it comes to gender equality. Women\u2019s leadership and participation should be a priority in settings of both conflict and peace.<\/p>\n

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Reforms will also be a main priority. There must be open and inclusive dialogue among Member States regarding the Secretary-General’s reform proposals. I will work to facilitate this. I will also personally engage closely with Member States to strengthen the role of the General Assembly. And I will promote a credible process to address the reform of the Security Council.<\/p>\n

Finally, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ should be opening its doors wider. We must strengthen our engagement with a wide variety of stakeholders, including regional and sub-regional organizations, civil society and the private sector. We need to hear more young voices in this Hall.<\/p>\n

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Excellencies, <\/em><\/p>\n

Before I conclude, allow me to make a more personal observation.<\/p>\n

I want to say that we cannot call for an end to business as usual – and then continue to do business as usual. If we are looking for a change in how the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ operates around the world, we should start here in New York. This can mean institutional change. But it can also mean a change in the way we work on a daily basis.<\/p>\n

We can engage in real dialogue \u2013 not a succession of monologues. We can concentrate on how much \u2013 and not how little \u2013 we can give up in the spirit of compromise. We can look beyond our individual agendas and positions, and see the bigger picture of why the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ is here, and what it is trying to do.<\/p>\n

I may not have been able to deliver a happy statement today, praising us all for making the world a better place to live in. But I will work throughout this year to increase the chances that, someday, one of my successors will have this great privilege.<\/p>\n

I wish you success in your deliberations, which I am confident will be in the interest and to the benefit of all people. Thank you!<\/p>\n

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Statement by H.E. Mr. Miroslav Laj\u010d\u00e1k, President of the 72nd Session of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly, at Opening of the 72nd General Debate<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":202,"featured_media":118285,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"

As delivered<\/em><\/h4>

Remarks by H.E. Mr. Peter Thomson,\u00a0<\/strong>President of the 71st Session of the General Assembly, at the\u00a0Annual American Bar Association Meeting\u00a0<\/strong>Showcase Luncheon<\/strong><\/h2>

10 August 2017<\/strong><\/h3>

\u00a0<\/p>

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>

\"American<\/a>Mark Alcott, ABA Representative to Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ<\/em><\/p>

Visiting Presidents and Members of Foreign Bar Associations<\/em><\/p>

Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/em><\/p>

I acknowledge the honour of being asked to speak at the Annual Meeting of the American Bar Association, and I thank the President of the American Bar Association and the other organizers of today\u2019s event for the invitation.<\/p>

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ is a house that from its outset has been steeped in the influence of international legal professionals \u2013 whether on diplomatic delegations, within the staffing cohort, or amongst the experts who play such instrumental roles in helping the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ advance the rule of law across the world.<\/p>

Indeed, since its establishment in 1945, the promotion of justice and the rule of law has been a golden thread running through the work of the United Nations in pursuit of its three founding pillars \u2013 the maintenance of peace and security, the protection of human rights, and the advancement of development.<\/p>

The logic behind this golden thread is clear.<\/p>

For the 71 peacekeeping operations that have been established since the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ\u2019s foundation, and for the nearly 100,000 peacekeepers currently deployed by the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ across the world, the promotion of the rule of law is at the very heart of their efforts to build and sustain international peace.<\/p>

And then in the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ\u2019s work to promote and protect human rights everywhere, the ending of discriminatory laws, the promotion of fair and transparent processes, discouraging violations, and fighting impunity is fundamental.<\/p>

And through \u00a0the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ\u2019s efforts to achieve sustainable development to build effective institutions, lift public trust in government, and ensure equal access to justice, we make our stand for a just, peaceful and prosperous world.<\/p>

For over seven decades now, the United Nations has been at the forefront of global efforts to promote the rule of law across our world.<\/p>

The International Court of Justice \u2013 the principal judicial organ of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ \u2013 has increasingly become the forum of choice for a growing number of States to peacefully settle their international disputes.<\/p>

The establishment of legal bodies such as the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, have been critical steps in the global fight against impunity and for ensuring justice for victims of crimes perpetrated during war.<\/p>

Meanwhile, the increasing number of international courts and tribunals focused on specialized areas of law, including human rights, law of the sea, and trade law, point to a growing understanding among Member States of the importance of an international rules-based order.<\/p>

For all of these accomplishments, we are confronted by a conundrum: how to precisely quantify to the global public the importance and the success of each of these achievements.\u00a0 Especially since these achievements belong to humanity as a whole and are seldom celebrated.<\/p>

We ponder how many conflicts have been prevented?<\/p>

How many lives have been saved?<\/p>

How much people have had their sense of hope restored through the acknowledgement of crimes perpetrated against them, and the rendering of international justice?<\/p>

Far too often \u2013 as with much of what the United Nations does \u2013 it is the shortcomings and failures that receive widespread attention, with little acknowledgement of achievements, particularly in averting even graver tragedies.<\/p>

Indeed, in our current global landscape, characterized by an unprecedented pace of change, and the fears that arise in times of great uncertainty, we are seeing in some parts of the world an instinct to withdraw from international engagement and to revert to nationalistic tendencies.\u00a0 That tendency even extends to a questioning of the importance of the rule of law, both within national boundaries and at international levels.<\/p>

In a world facing complex global security challenges, including the worst humanitarian and refugee crisis since World War II, shifting global dynamics, unprecedented technological advancement and population growth, widening inequality, climate change, and large-scale environmental degradation, the importance of international law becomes greatly elevated.\u00a0 That point cannot be overstated.<\/p>

These are the times when more, not less, needs to be done to strengthen the rule of law at national and international levels.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

I would like to make a further point that emphasizes the role of the United Nations in strengthening the rule of law in these challenging times.<\/p>

The decision by world leaders at the United Nations in September 2015 to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was a major milestone in our efforts to build a world of sustainable peace and justice.<\/p>

Based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the 2030 Agenda seeks to shift humanity\u2019s current trajectory away from its current course towards unsustainability, towards a future that is safe, secure and prosperous for all.<\/p>

Premised on the commitment\u00a0 to \u2018leave no one behind\u2019, the SDGs stand to transform our world by breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty; building peaceful societies; increasing global prosperity; achieving gender equality; protecting our natural environmental, and averting the worst impacts of climate change \u2013 all by 2030.<\/p>

Critically, it dedicates our efforts towards the promotion of\u00a0 the rule of law across the world.<\/p>

Goal 16 of the 2030 Agenda specifically seeks to \u2018promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels\u2019<\/em>.\u00a0 Goal 16 is underpinned by specific targets by which to measure success.<\/p>

I emphasize that the SDGs are integrated and mutually-reinforcing in nature, and that the 2030 Agenda inherently places peace, human rights, justice, and strong institutions as a fundamental requirement to achieve sustainable development.\u00a0 The Agenda recognizes an international rules-based order as indispensable for achieving a just, peaceful and prosperous world.<\/p>

It is obvious to all, that achieving this reality will require all stakeholders \u2013 Governments at all levels, civil society, the private sector, and grassroots organizations \u2013 to work together in new and innovative ways.<\/p>

The Ocean Conference held here at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ in June of this year was a prime example of such partnership and innovation in action. With around 6,000 participants from Governments, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ system, civil society, the scientific community, academia, and the business sector, nearly 1,400 voluntary commitments for action were made in the cause of reversing the cycle of decline in which the Ocean is currently caught.<\/p>

It is in The Ocean Conference\u2019s positive spirit of common purpose, that action must now be taken to build on the inter-linkages between the SDGs. We must pursue cross-cutting actions across the SDGs to strengthen the rule of law, peace and security, human rights, and sustainable development.<\/p>

And in this regard, I commend the American Bar Association and visiting members of foreign bar associations for your dedicated efforts to strengthen justice systems, to improve governance, and protect human rights across the world.<\/p>

In particular I mention the work being undertaken through the Rule of Law Initiative to promote legal education, improve access to justice, address land and resource governance, fight human trafficking, and support survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.\u00a0 This work is essential not only for promotion of the rule of law, but for achieving peaceful and inclusive societies, and accelerating SDG implementation.<\/p>

I encourage you to do all you can to further support this work \u2013 at home and abroad \u2013 as a critical component of sustainable development.\u00a0 With the American Bar Association representing a network of over 400,000 attorneys, you have a huge opportunity to bolster Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ efforts in our common aim of advancing the rule of law.<\/p>

I encourage you all to continue supporting the development, understanding, and dissemination of international law.<\/p>

I encourage you to continue your capacity-building, legal education and training assistance across the world.<\/p>

And I urge you to assist in the fight against corruption and organized crime, building robust legal frameworks, ensuring equal access to justice, supporting accountable institutions, and promoting inclusive and representative decision-making at all levels.<\/p>

Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/em><\/p>

In our interconnected world, international law shapes our daily lives \u2013 from internet governance and air travel, to international trade and environmental protections.<\/p>

We must continue to work together to build global understanding of international law as an enabler and a pre-requisite of peace, justice and development, and to promote the rule of law everywhere.<\/p>

I thank you for your attention.<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[69,65,53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-118181","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-newsandupdates","category-statements","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nOpening of the General Debate - General Assembly of the United Nations<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/72\/2017\/09\/19\/opening-of-the-general-debate\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Opening of the General Debate - General Assembly of the United Nations\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Statement by H.E. 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