[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.14.7″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Excellencies,<\/p>\n
Ladies and gentlemen,<\/p>\n
I commend the Government of Turkey for hosting the second Antalya Diplomacy Forum.<\/p>\n
The Forum comes at a critical time; the world once again faces the shocking realities of ravaging military conflict, and we continue to grapple with the impacts of a devastating pandemic. At the same time, climate change, nuclear proliferation, cyber threats, disinformation and a myriad of other challenges loom on the horizon.<\/p>\n
We need effective diplomacy now more than ever.<\/p>\n
The tragic ongoing conflict in Ukraine is a stark illustration of what happens when diplomacy is put aside: we return to a world plagued by death and destruction, where international relations is conducted through brute force.<\/p>\n
During the 11th<\/sup> Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly, I called for an immediate ceasefire.<\/p>\n I reiterate that call now. Lay down your weapons. Return to the negotiating table. There are no winners here.<\/p>\n I welcome the various initiatives by the international community, including by Turkey, to host bilateral talks between Ukraine and Russia. It is my sincere hope that through dialogue and negotiation, peace will prevail.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n Even as these extraordinary events unfold, the remaining threats to our peace, security and safety are not on hold. They remain as urgent as ever.<\/p>\n Conflicts are increasingly internationalized, with the involvement of regional and global powers.<\/p>\n At the same time, crises are becoming more fragmented. \u00a0Multiple actors operate in loose and rapidly shifting coalitions, with different agendas.<\/p>\n Extremism and terrorism continue to flourish where there is poverty, hunger, inequality, and injustice.<\/p>\n Discrimination, exclusion and economic, social and cultural inequalities are exacting a devastating toll and creating an acute risk of violence and conflict.<\/p>\n Deliberate and often covert spreading of fake information, has radically changed\u00a0the media and security landscape.<\/p>\n There is also growing concern over risks posed by large technology companies.<\/p>\n The arrival of new technologies such as 5G is making the question of who controls that critical infrastructure more important than ever.<\/p>\n As we continue to endure the impacts of COVID-19many governments in the global South face debt default and financial ruin, while their people face poverty, unemployment, hunger and despair.<\/p>\n The current crisis is threatening to undo the progress we have made over two decades in fighting poverty and gender inequality. Inequalities are threatening our democracies by undermining social cohesion. Added to this, the climate crisis continues to rage.<\/p>\n Unpredictable and extreme weather events are becoming more common. In the last few years, we have seen record numbers of people affected by heat waves, devastating floods, and some of the largest wildfires in recent history.<\/p>\n Furthermore, the damage we cause our planet will continue to have spillover effects \u2013 from mass migration, to resource scarcity.<\/p>\n Paradoxically, at a time when global cooperation is most needed to confront these threats, international solidarity is in short supply.<\/p>\n Confronted with a widening array of transnational risks, most governments are distracted or rather preoccupied with attending to domestic challenges.<\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ is the heart of the international system. The fact that the world came together 76 years ago to\u00a0create\u00a0an organization to achieve international cooperation in solving international problems is extraordinary in itself.<\/p>\n But even more striking is that this organization, despite its challenges and shortcomings, has endured.<\/p>\n It has shown that the path to a better, more peaceful, and sustainable future is paved with cooperation, not zero-sum competition.<\/p>\n However, it would be useful to remind ourselves that multilateral institutions were built primarily to resolve inter-state challenges, not problems that transcend borders, such as financial crises, pandemics, terrorism, crime networks, threats to our oceans, or climate change.<\/p>\n We therefore must modernize our multilateral institutions, making them fit for purpose and better equipped to deal with the global and cross-generational challenges we face.<\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n We have learned from the COVID-19 crisis that we need to strengthen our collective ability to anticipate, prevent, and manage complex risks such as disease outbreaks, new wars, massive cyberattacks, environmental disasters, or other unforeseen events.\u00a0<\/p>\n We need to revive and strengthen our capacity to tackle poverty and inequality, ensure inclusion, equal participation, and justice.<\/p>\n We need to build on existing initiatives and involve the relevant stakeholders toward effectively regulating the Internet in order to create a safe, free, and open digital environment, where the flow of data in a trusted environment is guaranteed.<\/p>\n We need to ensure that the global recovery reaches everybody. Protection of the environment and health as well as social standards must be placed at the heart of our economic models while ensuring the necessary conditions for innovation.<\/p>\n With the pandemic interrupting the education of millions of children and students worldwide, we must endeavor to provide new age education for all that would equip the next generation with not only basic skills and science, but an appreciation of different cultures, acceptance of pluralism, and nurture tolerance and respect for freedom of conscience.\u00a0<\/p>\n We also need to ensure that the multilateral system is more open and inclusive to give young people, civil society, the private sector, academia, and others a spot at the negotiating table.<\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n Throughout the pandemic we have seen the extent of our global reliance on digital infrastructures.<\/p>\n The unprecedented incorporation of digital tools by international organizations, forums, and multilateral organizations in the wake of the pandemic has marked a new age in digital diplomacy.<\/p>\n We must \u2018recode\u2019 our diplomacy to align with these new realities. We must make use of the benefits, while avoiding the pitfalls of misinformation, or cyber security concerns.<\/p>\n Additionally, we must also use digital diplomacy to empower all people, everywhere. The digital divide that leaves billions offline must be closed. And we must accelerate efforts to empower marginalized groups, including persons with disabilities and women.<\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n We all know that women are vastly underrepresented in the halls of power, at all levels and in all spaces.<\/p>\n As I continue to emphasize during my \u2018Presidency of Hope\u2019 we must rectify this by removing barriers hindering women from fully participating in global policymaking and discourse, and from reaching their full potential.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the same time, we must recognize the importance of empowering young people. We must equip them not only with skills they will need to address the challenges of the twenty first century \u2013 we must also instill in them the values underlying multilateral diplomacy, a love for multilateralism.<\/p>\n Through my Fellowship for HOPE<\/em>, which I launched earlier this year, 8 young diplomats from under-represented countries have joined my office.<\/p>\n I hope that they will not only gain an insight into the workings of the United Nations, but that they will also embrace the principles of its Charter and become part of a new generation of multilateralists.<\/p>\n Because it was the Charter and its ideals that steered our forbearers away from the brutal world left in the wake of the Second World War. It was that trust in the multilateral system that helped avoid large-scale global conflict for 76 years.<\/p>\n However, for multilateralism to be more effective and relevant, it needs to work for everyone.<\/p>\n What we need more than ever is to recode multilateralism on the basis shared principles and goals to harness global cooperation to the requirements of a sustainable future for all people.<\/p>\n And it is our responsibility as Member States to demonstrate that we can deliver on this new kind of multilateralism. \u00a0<\/p>\n And with those sentiments, I wish all of you a very robust and constructive dialogue.<\/p>\n I thank you.\u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Pre-recorded message at the 2nd Antalya Diplomacy Forum<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":353,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" Excellencies, colleagues,<\/p> I welcome you all to our second meeting and our first interaction following the resumed part of the session.<\/p> Before I begin, I would like to recognize the loss of our dear friend and esteemed colleague, Ms. Gail Farngalo.<\/p> A Liberian national, Gail was my Team Leader for Human Rights and was active on gender during both the 75th<\/sup> and 76th<\/sup> sessions. She leaves behind a legacy of achievements and a groundswell of respect and affection from across the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and diplomatic communities. Her presence is certainly felt here today.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> When I took on this Presidency of Hope, I pledged to make gender equality a priority area for the 76th<\/sup> session. I continue to look to the board for its wisdom and expertise, as I endeavour to fulfil that pledge.<\/p> In this regard, I have already benefited from the board\u2019s advice, from when we met on October 28th<\/sup> last year.<\/p> Acting on that advice, I committed to ensuring that all my five rays of hope, and all my major initiatives, are approached with a gender lens.<\/p> I made sure that the composition of my office is gender-balanced.<\/p> I have committed to participating only in panels that have equal gender representation.<\/p> Throughout my official interactions and travels, I have endeavoured to meet with women, including heads of states and governments, scientists, civil society representatives, and youth.<\/p> And I am proud to inform you that five young women have been recruited into the Fellowship for HOPE<\/em> that my office recently launched. The Fellowship as you are well aware is targeted at benefiting young diplomats from underrepresented countries, pursuing careers in diplomacy or public service.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> While recognizing that we have a long way to go in the battle for gender-equality, I am proud of what my team has been able to accomplish within the past few months.<\/p> Our work continues.<\/p> We will continue to raise our voices on issues disproportionately impacting women, such as domestic violence and work place harassment. We will continue to push the importance of gender-equal work spaces.<\/p> And we will continue to find new paths to empower young women with ambitious professional aspirations.<\/p> Now is not the time to rest on our laurels.<\/p> With the board\u2019s guidance and support, we must use the many opportunities over the coming months to further empower women and girls, and dismantle discriminatory practices against them.<\/p> There are several upcoming events that will provide us such opportunities. I look forward to the board\u2019s suggestions on how we can best utilize them.<\/p> As an example, the International Day of Women and Girls in science is fast approaching. We must recognize that women\u2019s contributions in science and technology have helped us cure diseases; discover new horizons in space; and develop technologies that have vastly improved our quality of life.<\/p> As we celebrate their achievements, we must also open pathways for young girls who aspire to follow in the footsteps of pioneers in science and technology.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Let us also reflect that the theme chosen by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for this year is on \u201cachieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes\u201d.<\/p> As we strive to meet our obligations to the planet, let us recognize the important work done by women and girls at the forefront of the climate crisis, and whose humanitarian work in disaster-stricken areas has helped save lives and rebuild communities. We owe it to them to not only celebrate their work but to support them.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Our programme of work for the months ahead has been circulated to members prior to the meeting, for consideration and feedback. Please note that the events we have planned are not exhaustive. I welcome further suggestions from the board on the content and format of future events and activities.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> We have made much progress within a short while. And with the board\u2019s support and guidance, I am sure that we can keep up this strong momentum.<\/p> I look forward to working alongside all of you to achieve our vision of a gender-equal world.<\/p> Thank you.<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[550,556,553],"committee-meeting":[],"class_list":["post-260585","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","tag-ga","tag-pga","tag-shahid","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n