[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”-76px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.19.3″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
30 December 2022<\/b><\/p>\n
Excellencies, dear colleagues,<\/p>\n
I thank Ambassador Philippe Kridelka, Permanent Representative of Belgium and Chair of Fifth Committee, for his leadership in ensuring that the Fifth Committee completed its work in an amicable manner.<\/p>\n
Many thanks also go to the Bureau members, the Secretariat, and to all members of the Fifth Committee, for your active participation, your flexibility, and collective decision to ensure this organization is adequately funded to respond to the many interlocking crises the world is facing.<\/p>\n
I thank you for preventing the looming perspective of a possible lockdown of the United Nations. Our 8 billion stakeholders are expecting from us solutions. They might have found it difficult to understand any other direction of events when the world needs multilateral solutions more than ever.<\/p>\n
I would like to congratulate all of you for the following:<\/p>\n
First,\u00a0congratulations<\/span>\u00a0for your collective effort and determination to prioritize the needs of the United Nations, and ensure its budgetary matters, and operation implemented in accordance with all procedures and mandate given to the organization.<\/p>\n Second,\u00a0congratulations<\/span>\u00a0for your successful tenacity in setting aside differences and your humility to work in an amicable manner, despite the challenging issues at hand.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Third, I would like to specifically congratulate all of you for your resolve in joining hands to address the funding of the global food insecurity. An exemplary, and tangible work that is much needed in the United Nations.<\/p>\n Excellencies, Colleagues,<\/p>\n I would like to close my remarks with inspiring words from Martin Luther King Jr.<\/p>\n \u201cOur very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.\u201d<\/p>\n I encourage you to keep your openness, faith, and strong willingness to cooperate in the resumed sessions ahead. Our ability to accept inputs and new ideas, and working together to achieve our common goal, will determine our capacity to overcome challenges.<\/p>\n I thank you and wish you and your families all the best for the new year.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 30 December 2022 Excellencies, dear colleagues, I thank Ambassador Philippe Kridelka, Permanent Representative of Belgium and Chair of Fifth Committee, for his leadership in ensuring that the Fifth Committee completed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":361,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" 10 November 2022<\/strong><\/b><\/p>\r\n Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/p>\r\n Afghanistan is in crisis. It is in many crises.<\/p>\r\n It has been 15 months since the Taliban consolidated control over the country.<\/span><\/p>\r\n Its economy is in ruins. The humanitarian situation is disastrous.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \u00a0<\/span>Two-thirds of the population is hungry.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n \u00a0<\/span>Girls and women are banned from learning, having a job or getting proper medical care.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n The country is awash with heroin and opium.<\/span><\/p>\r\n Organized crime and terrorist organizations are thriving once again.<\/span><\/p>\r\n Afghanistan is facing complex and interlinked challenges that the Taliban have shown they cannot \u2013 or would not \u2013 solve.<\/u><\/span><\/p>\r\n It is time to support the Afghan people with concrete solutions that place their needs front and center.<\/p>\r\n It is true that some problems will require some time to resolve.<\/p>\r\n But there are actions the Assembly can take to change the paradigm now.<\/p>\r\n I would like you to consider one solution through solidarity.<\/p>\r\n The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan \u2013 which requires $4.4 billion US dollars \u2013 is only half funded.<\/p>\r\n With winter weather just weeks away, I encourage Member States to provide urgent support to help reduce the $2.3 billion dollar shortfall.<\/p>\r\n Let\u2019s remind ourselves of the old saying from Afghanistan: \u201cA real friend is one who takes the hand of his friend in times of distress and helplessness.\u201d<\/p>\r\n Excellencies,<\/p>\r\n Afghanistan has a rich history of scientific achievement.<\/p>\r\n I encourage the country\u2019s reengagement with the international science community.<\/p>\r\n And\u00a0to allow women who used to be respected members of the country\u2019s science community to resume their research and their studies.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n \u00a0<\/span>Afghanistan is now the only state in the world that would deny girls their full right to education.<\/p>\r\n The prospect of girls\u2019 education has been left to uncertainty amid seemingly random edicts from the Taliban.<\/p>\r\n This time last year, Fawzia Koofi, the first woman Deputy Speaker of the Afghan Parliament, recalled her dream of one day addressing the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ as the President of Afghanistan.<\/p>\r\n She said:\u00a0\u201cWith me, millions of girls and women in Afghanistan had this dream that now they think will never come true.\u201d<\/p>\r\n Dreams of becoming President have been replaced by the reality of child marriage. Arrests if women and girls leave their home without a male chaperone.<\/p>\r\n I reiterate my call for the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms of all Afghans, especially women and girls.<\/p>\r\n Similarly, I urge the Taliban to ensure the safety of all Afghans, regardless of gender, ethnic background, religious belief or political affiliation.<\/p>\r\n To protect journalists and civil society members.<\/p>\r\n To allow unhindered humanitarian aid, and to cooperate with humanitarian workers.<\/p>\r\n We expect the Taliban to make good on the commitments they made to the international community.\u00a0To show honesty through\u00a0concrete action.<\/p>\r\n Excellencies,<\/p>\r\n The dramatic changes of 2021 have taken a massive toll on Afghanistan\u2019s economy and profoundly widened many security risks.<\/p>\r\n