<\/a><\/b><\/b><\/p>\n(As delivered)<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
\n
Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,<\/p>\n
It would not have been my wish to convene this plenary meeting of the General Assembly today.<\/p>\n
It would have been my wish that the Security Council could have overcome its deadlock on humanitarian aid delivery to northern Syria.<\/p>\n
Yet, today\u2019s debate is a clear demonstration that two Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ organs \u2013 the Security Council and the General Assembly \u2013 can and must work together on matters of international peace and security, especially in times of crises.<\/p>\n
It is in this context that I welcome the Security Council\u2019s special report\u00a0<\/i>on the veto cast last week.<\/p>\n
I thank Security Council members for meeting the expectations of all Member States in submitting this special report in a timely manner.<\/p>\n
I also express my appreciation to the President of the Security Council for the good coordination with my Office leading up to this meeting.<\/p>\n
It is my hope that this spirit of cooperation will continue in the future, to ensure efficiency and coherence between our two mandates<\/p>\n
We gather today because a permanent member of the Security Council \u2013 the Russian Federation \u2013 cast a veto on the renewal of the cross-border mechanism to deliver life-saving aid to people in northern Syria.<\/p>\n
Let us be clear about what this means.<\/p>\n
The Bab al-Hawa crossing with T\u00fcrkiye has been used by the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and aid agencies since 2014, and after the closing of the other three crossings by the Security Council in subsequent years, it has handled 85 per cent of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ aid deliveries.<\/p>\n
After Russia\u2019s veto in the Council last week, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ aid convoys there have virtually stopped.<\/p>\n
At the same time, humanitarian needs in Syria are soaring.<\/p>\n
4.1 million people across Syria\u2019s north have been all but cut off from the food, water and medicine they need to stay alive.<\/p>\n
Eighty per cent of them are women and children.<\/p>\n
And they are desperate following the two massive earthquakes that rocked the region in February.<\/p>\n
These shocks reduced infrastructure to rubble and further displaced many who had already fled fighting elsewhere.<\/p>\n
A fresh cholera outbreak has only compounded the harsh daily realities.<\/p>\n
The lives of those in need should never be reduced to the tactics of geopolitical games.<\/p>\n
I urge Security Council members to keep their needs foremost in your minds.<\/p>\n
Lest we forget: our 8 billion constituents are counting on us to act. To act as one Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ.<\/p>\n
And we have a moral responsibility to do so.<\/p>\n
When the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ wavers on issues as clear as humanitarian need it cuts to the core\u00a0<\/i>of our credibility.<\/p>\n
In fact, it confirms a false perception that we, as a whole, cannot do what is right.<\/p>\n
Right by the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Charter. Right by our collective conscience. Right by our sense of solidarity and compassion.<\/p>\n
We must not give this mistaken belief any ground.<\/p>\n
Humanitarian action must always be guided by the principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence.<\/p>\n
As such, effective humanitarian assistance can never be held hostage by any political interest.<\/p>\n
How can the General Assembly help the Security Council live up to its mandate entrusted by the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Charter?<\/p>\n
Which are your proposals for what more the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ as a whole and the Security Council can and should do?<\/p>\n
For one, I intend to send the verbatim records of today\u2019s debate to the Council President, as promised during our April debate on the use of the Veto Initiative.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a basic human right to live in a safe place, to feel safe, to be safe,\u201d as Syrian swimmer Sara Mardini reminds us.<\/p>\n
Given the extraordinary lengths that Syrians are pursuing just to survive, it is only right that we ask: Are we doing enough to protect human life?<\/p>\n
To the Security Council, I call on you to be alive to the realities and oriented towards genuine solutions.<\/p>\n
To urgently prioritize long-term cooperation over division.<\/p>\n
And the humanitarian imperative over brinksmanship.<\/p>\n
Together, we have the power to make a meaningful difference.<\/p>\n
The people of Syria are counting on us to deliver.<\/p>\n
I thank you.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Csaba\u00a0K\u0151r\u00f6si,\u00a0President of the 77th\u00a0session of the General Assembly —- General Assembly debate on item 60: \u201cThe use of the veto\u201d 19 July 2023 (As delivered) Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, It would […]<\/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":"Csaba K\u0151r\u00f6si, President of the 77th session of the General Assembly\r\n\r\n----\r\n\r\nMessage on the 75th anniversary of the World Health Organization (WHO)\r\n\r\n7 April 2023\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nOn this World Health Day, I congratulate WHO on its 75th anniversary.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nOver the course of its history, WHO has contributed to landmark achievements in public health, including the eradication of smallpox, the near eradication of polio and the expansion of childhood immunization, saving millions of lives.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nMore recently, WHO has played a key role in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic and helped galvanise the most complex vaccination campaign in history. Time and again, WHO has proved that investing in science lies at the heart of reaching our objective of a healthy and prosperous future.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nHowever, the pandemic has disrupted essential health services in most of the countries, shortened life expectancy, and halted progress towards universal health coverage.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nHalfway through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we must redouble our efforts to achieve its goals. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAs we prepare for the upcoming high-level meetings on health in the General Assembly, let us seize this opportunity to reconfirm our collective pledges and chart new pathways for a healthy and sustainable future.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nOn this day and every day, let us commit to achieve Health for All.","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-254970","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-statements","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n
PGA remarks to General Assembly debate on the use of the veto\/Syria - 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\/77\/2023\/07\/19\/pga-remarks-to-general-assembly-debate-on-the-use-of-the-veto-syria\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"PGA remarks to General Assembly debate on the use of the veto\/Syria - General Assembly of the United Nations\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Csaba\u00a0K\u0151r\u00f6si,\u00a0President of the 77th\u00a0session of the General Assembly ---- General Assembly debate on item 60: \u201cThe use of the veto\u201d 19 July 2023 (As delivered) Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, It would […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/77\/2023\/07\/19\/pga-remarks-to-general-assembly-debate-on-the-use-of-the-veto-syria\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"General Assembly of the United Nations\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-07-19T14:34:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-07-19T14:34:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Steven Viju Philip\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Steven Viju Philip\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.un.org\\\/pga\\\/77\\\/2023\\\/07\\\/19\\\/pga-remarks-to-general-assembly-debate-on-the-use-of-the-veto-syria\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.un.org\\\/pga\\\/77\\\/2023\\\/07\\\/19\\\/pga-remarks-to-general-assembly-debate-on-the-use-of-the-veto-syria\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Steven Viju Philip\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.un.org\\\/pga\\\/77\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5023a3e992d3ff96de578367d1f34eaa\"},\"headline\":\"PGA remarks to General Assembly debate on the use of the veto\\\/Syria\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-07-19T14:34:20+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-07-19T14:34:35+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.un.org\\\/pga\\\/77\\\/2023\\\/07\\\/19\\\/pga-remarks-to-general-assembly-debate-on-the-use-of-the-veto-syria\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":780,\"articleSection\":[\"Statements\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.un.org\\\/pga\\\/77\\\/2023\\\/07\\\/19\\\/pga-remarks-to-general-assembly-debate-on-the-use-of-the-veto-syria\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.un.org\\\/pga\\\/77\\\/2023\\\/07\\\/19\\\/pga-remarks-to-general-assembly-debate-on-the-use-of-the-veto-syria\\\/\",\"name\":\"PGA remarks to General Assembly debate on the use of the veto\\\/Syria - 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