– As delivered –
Statement by H.E. Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
26 October 2020
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Ms. Emilia Saiz, Secretary General of the United Cities and Local Government Global Task Force,
Under-Secretary General Fabrizio Hochschild-Drummond, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Commemoration of the United Nations 75th Anniversary,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I would first like to extend my sincere appreciation to the United Cities and Local Government, as well as Ms. Saiz, for organizing this event and for inviting me to speak.
I would also like to congratulate Under-Secretary General Hochschild and your Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ75 Campaign Team on the successful launch of the findings of the Survey, and thank you for sharing these very informative results.
As President of the General Assembly, I had the honor of presiding over the 21st?September High-Level event on Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ75, as mandated by the General Assembly. And I was very encouraged to see such impressive participation by Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Member States. So much so, in fact, that an additional session had to be organized yesterday to accommodate the many statements that were received.
I am also pleased to note that this ambitious participation translated into the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ75 Declaration, whereby Member States committed to listening to the concerns and aspirations of the survey results, pledging: ¡°We are here to respond.¡±
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ has turned 75, and this is both cause for celebration, but also for reflection and growth.
While it would be easy to stand before you and list 75-years of accomplishments or lessons learned, the truth is that now, more than ever, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ must be forward looking, ever-mindful of our past, but always vigilant about what lies ahead.
It is fair to say that 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored and emphasized that point.
Few of us could have imagined, this time last year, what was to come.
As the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ75 survey rightly points out, the ongoing pandemic as well as its related socio-economic impacts, remain primary concerns for the international community. People the world over remain concerned about their health, their jobs, their livelihoods, their education and access to social services. We know this.
We also know that the world expects a Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ that will step up and do what it needs to do to meet these challenges. We must be at the forefront of helping those in need; we must work with governments to strengthen healthcare systems; we must advocate for fair and equitable access to vaccines ¨C if or when they become available of course ¨C and we must work to recover better, to build a stronger, more sustainable world.
All of this is in the survey. And these are the demands of the people of the world. It is our job now to take that forward.
While it would be easy to stand before you and list 75-years of accomplishments or lessons learned, the truth is that now, more than ever, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ must be forward looking, ever-mindful of our past, but always vigilant about what lies ahead.
We have the blueprint to guide our way out of COVID-19 and to embrace a future that is more sustainable and more resilient. The Sustainable Development Goals are our compasses to a better future. Now more than ever we must follow the steps they outline, investing in resilient infrastructure, in protecting life on land and below water, in securing social services.
COVID-19 has been a tragedy, to be sure, and it certainly remains a challenge with no clear end in sight. But it is also an opportunity I think, a chance to hit the reset button, to recover better, and to refocus our attention on a better path forward.
Dear friends, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ was founded 75-years ago on the pillars of human rights, peace and security, and sustainable development. Through all of these run the aspirations of a just world, an equal society, and a dignified life.
As we look forward, we must aim to recover from the pandemic in a way that reaffirms our commitment to the principles outlined in the Charter. Now more than ever we must embrace multilateralism and work as one. Now, more than ever, we must work to protect our planet and advance human civilization in a way that is sustainable.
I thank you for the opportunity to speak today and I wish you all the best in your panel discussions. I am looking forward to many such meetings together, and thank you once more for having me in this wonderful meeting.
Thank you.