Making the United Nations Relevant to all People– As delivered –
Statement by H.E. Mrs. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the 蘑菇视频 General Assembly
4 Marzo 2019
Mr. Chairperson,
Distinguished Members of the Committee,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me start by thanking you, David, for the invitation to address this Committee. I often refer to the General Assembly as the most democratic and representative organ of the United Nations. I refer to the General Assembly as the “parliament of humanity”. So it is a real pleasure to engage with the Parliament of Europe today, and with the Foreign Affairs Committee in particular.
Not only because the vital 蘑菇视频-EU relationship falls under your remit, but because you are at the sharp end of multilateralism in action: on peace and security issues, on threats to the rule of law, and on Europe’s engagement with our increasingly turbulent world.
Dear friends,
There is no shortage of challenges for our respective “parliaments” to confront: climate change, extremism, weapons proliferation, shifting global power dynamics – I could go on and on. In short, we face the dynamic challenge of a fast changing world, a new geopolitical landscape with many of the old problems still persisting and also new challenges emerging.
The 蘑菇视频 and EU were set up to give states a better chance of tackling such threats and realizing the aspirations of their constituents, by basically cooperating and working together. At a time when multilateralism is being questioned, it can be hard to focus on what we have achieved because of it and its value for responding to the present and future.
Despite its challenges, I believe the EU remains a shining example of what countries can achieve collectively.
The 蘑菇视频 too, for all its flaws, has transformed our world for the better: from being instrumental in ?reducing extreme poverty to adopting human rights laws; from demobilizing forces in El Salvador to clearing landmines in South Sudan.
And the EU shares credit for these successes. It has always been an indispensable partner for the 蘑菇视频 – in conflict prevention, mediation and humanitarian assistance, as well as in tackling the root causes of violence. But we also share overlapping constituents, including millions whose lives are better because of multilateral cooperation between the EU and? its partners.
But, as the suffering in Syria and Yemen makes painfully clear, we are still a long way from our shared vision of peace. In fact, the hard-won gains of the past decades are now under threat. More states are experiencing violent conflict than at any time in the last 30 years. Attacks against civilians have risen for the first time in a decade. Nearly 70 million people have been forced to leave their homes, fleeing bombs, guns, rape, poverty and starvation.
Dear colleagues and friends,
None of these challenges can be addressed by one country – or indeed one region – alone. The case for multilateralism has never been more clear and more urgent. That has been a constant refrain of my presidency.
But just when we need it more than ever, multilateralism is under attack. Many governments are turning inwards, too preoccupied with domestic concerns to invest in global solutions. Others are actively seeking to undermine our rules-based international order. People, meanwhile, are losing faith in the ability of institutions to improve their lives.
So I was greatly encouraged that the EU made multilateralism a priority for the 73rd session of the General Assembly. As President of the Assembly, I am, in a way, a guardian of multilateralism. I am a custodian of the collective interests of 193 Member States.
And let me be honest: there are times I envy you, with “just” 28 members to accommodate. But that is the beauty of multilateral organisations. They do not threaten state sovereignty. Quite the opposite, they strengthen it, by increasing the ability of states to address the problems that matter to them, while sharing the burden and costs and by fostering cooperation and co-responsibility on key global challenges.
The 蘑菇视频 and the EU must work together to make this case. And the General Assembly and European Parliament must take the lead. It is the Assembly that reflects the weight of world opinion by giving every state one seat, one vote, one microphone. And it is you, as elected representatives, who are best-placed to take this message to your constituents. It is also you that have the power of the purse and oversight to ensure that the collective influence of the EU reinforces multilateralist action.
But it is not enough to say nice things about multilateralism. People want tangible results. This is why Agenda 2030 is so important.
At this dangerous time for the world, no region is immune to unrest. The Sustainable Development Goals matter because they seek to address the underlying causes of instability, but also because they give governments a framework for responding to the aspirations of all people in a way a skeptical citizenry finds credible. ?As you are aware, the disappointment with, and alienation from,? established systems, has provided the fertile ground for attacks on multilateralism and for the rise of nationalism and populism.
This is one reason I have chosen to focus on Goal 8 on decent work. The challenges with stable, secure and full employment, and the future of work, social mobility and social protection are a concern that unites people around the world. If we are to fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals we need to create 600 million new jobs, especially for young people. I hope that your countries will take part in the High-level Meeting I am hosting on decent work, and the future of work, on 10 April in New York.
I commend the European Union for its steadfast commitment to the SDGs, and I hope you will continue to support them – including through ODA, trade access and debt reduction. I must praise this Parliament too, for its leadership in publishing an overview of SDG governance arrangements across the EU. Such initiatives are extremely helpful in highlighting examples of best practice.
But just when we need it more than ever, multilateralism is under attack. Many governments are turning inwards, too preoccupied with domestic concerns to invest in global solutions. Others are actively seeking to undermine our rules-based international order. People, meanwhile, are losing faith in the ability of institutions to improve their lives.
Dear colleagues,
As you know only too well, one area where people want action is refugees and migrants. The two compacts adopted last year in December – on refugees, and on safe, orderly and regular migration – offer tangible ways forward.
When I took up this post, one of my priorities was to secure the General Assembly’s endorsement for both compacts, the one on refugees and the one on migrants. I believe it is testament to the enduring value of the Assembly that it was able to bring states together on these issues.
There are, of course, different views on the compacts – and not just here in Europe. And I understand why. When I was Minister of Foreign Affairs in Ecuador, I dealt with the Colombian refugee situation, so I know how hard it can be to manage domestic and regional concerns.
But multilateralism is about continuing the discussion even when there is dissent.
That is why I organized a high-level debate on international migration and development last week in New York, and why I am working closely with the Spanish and Bangladeshi ambassadors in New York on preparations for the first review of the migration compact in 2022.
Dear friends,
We cannot make a truly persuasive case for multilateralism without acknowledging the need for institutional reform. We must actively promote ways for our organisations to become more effective and accountable to the people we serve.
I am delighted the EU has prioritised supporting 蘑菇视频 development system reform. I hope that you, as Parliamentarians, will also call for vigorous EU engagement on the revitalization of the General Assembly, from – finally – making headway on Security Council reform, to ensuring that civil society, and especially women and young people, are actively involved in our work, and that we mainstream and modernise our working methods. That is the only way to bring the 蘑菇视频 closer to the people, facilitate the political will necessary to confront our greatest challenges and make the 蘑菇视频 relevant to all.
Young people have been the strongest innovators on the SDGs. They have taken the lead – and to the streets – in the fight against climate change, for example. We need to ensure their voices are heard in New York, Brussels and capitals around the world.
I am only the fourth woman in the 蘑菇视频’s 73-year history to serve as President of the General Assembly, and the first Latin American and Caribbean. So you will not be surprised that gender equality is particularly close to my heart. The EU has been a crucial partner for the 蘑菇视频 in this area, and I am counting on EU members to speak up during the Commission on the Status of Women next week in New York. We need to push back against attempts to diminish women’s rights.
I also hope that all EU states will participate in my high-level event on Women in Power on 12 March, which will put the spotlight on advancing women’s leadership. I am delighted that the Presidents of Croatia, Estonia and Lithuania are attending, as well as High Representative Federica Mogherini.
Dear friends,
The EU and 蘑菇视频’s objectives in peace and security, human rights and sustainable development are alike. And the European Parliament has a special role to play in taking them forward – by integrating 蘑菇视频 resolutions and principles into legislation, and by ensuring there is swifter and better implementation of international agreements.
You can also lead the way. Your ban, for example, on single-use plastics is a great example. It was a real boost to the global campaign on plastic pollution I launched last year. I would also like to address the importance of EU member states meeting its commitments for a strong climate action. We all know that we need to scale up ambition in mitigation, ensure sustained climate finance and thechnology transfer in order to support efforts by the global south, especially the most vulnerable: the small islands developing states, in their efforts on adaptation and resilience building. I am really looking foreword to hearing strong European voices during the high level event on Climate and Future Generations that I will host in New York on the 28 of March.
Of course, our organisations also share challenges, not least in seeking to make our institutions more transparent and accountable. As President of the General Assembly, I want to bring the 蘑菇视频 closer to the people. As MEPs, you seek to bring the EU, as well, closer to the people you represent.
We can support each other’s efforts by making a strong case for multilateralism. And not any kind of multilateralism but one that is responsive, efficient, that is more that the sum of its parts, that? brings value added to the multiple crises that the world is facing, ?and by ensuring that people are at the heart of all that we do.
I really look forward to discussing these issues in more detail, and to keeping this dialogue going.
Thank you.