Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
at the High-level side event on ¡°Strengthening Multilateralism by Upholding the United Nations Charter. The Role of Small States¡±
4 April 2024
[As Delivered]
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Your Excellency, Mr. Jonatan Vseviov, Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry of Estonia,
Dr. Adam Lupel, Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer at the International Peace Institute,
Under-Secretary-General, Mr. Guy Ryder,
Excellencies,
Dear colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you to the organizers ¨C the Permanent Missions of Estonia, Guyana, Kenya, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, in cooperation with the International Peace Institute ¨C for creating this invaluable opportunity to engage in a dialogue of such significant proportion.
Today, we find ourselves at a critical juncture ¨C where the ability of the United Nations to uphold its foundational mission is increasingly being tested and called into question, including by the people we are here to serve.
Over the past two years, we have witnessed a disturbing trend of disunity gripping the Security Council ¨C the one body the entire Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ membership has entrusted the primary, though not the exclusive responsibility, for the maintenance of international peace and security.
We have recently seen a permanent member of the Security Council violate a fundamental principle of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Charter ¨C the prohibition of the use of force ¨C which, of course, is a matter of grave concern.
We have seen the wanton flouting of international humanitarian law in the Gaza Strip, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar, and in other places ¨C with catastrophic consequences for innocent civilians.
Ignoring these and other atrocities is not a viable option ¨C and goes against both our organization¡¯s core principles and purposes.
These ¨C and many other wars and conflicts around the world ¨C only serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for concrete action and measures that will make a tangible difference in the lives of those, the non-combatants caught in the crossfire, while steadfastly rejecting the normalization of international law violations.
To this end, there is no substitute for a strengthened Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-led multilateral system ¨C in which all Member States uphold and honour their commitments under the Charter ¨C and where the principle of sovereign equality of States entails a meaningful role for small states.
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Excellencies,
Despite the foregoing turmoil, I remain undeterred.
There is hope and I daresay, promise, for the future of multilateralism.
Indeed ¨C in the face of the extant deadlock in the Security Council ¨C the General Assembly has sought to fill the void in terms of decision-making within its competence; and in the case of 11 Emergency Special Sessions, demonstrated that purposive collective action is not only imperative, but that it is, in fact, achievable.
Since the onslaught of the aggression against Ukraine, the GA has adopted six resolutions, condemning the aggression and calling for the immediate withdrawal of Russian forces.
And ¨C through its two resolutions relating to the escalation of violence in Gaza ¨C the Assembly also called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, and demanded unhindered access [of] humanitarian aid, and the release of all hostages.
Insistence on compliance ¨C with international law, including the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Charter, as well as the respective Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ resolutions, and the orders of the international courts ¨C is critical, if we want to continue to ground our future in multilateralism and in a system of universally agreed rules of state conduct.
This is especially true for small states ¨C for whom international law and the United Nations, as an institution, is the primary tool of defense and protection.
But we must ask ourselves: How can the Assembly ¨C the paramount deliberative, policymaking, and most representative body within the organization ¨C better galvanize action to preserve international peace and security?
There is a strong sentiment amongst Member States that the Assembly possesses untapped potential and should exert greater influence; that the powers and tools available to it ¨C some of which are underutilized, while others have been overlooked entirely ¨C should be reexamined and put to better use.
While General Assembly resolutions may not be legally binding, they do represent the preponderant and well-considered view of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ membership as a whole, on a given issue and thereby foster momentum for the Security Council to take action in a specific direction.
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Let me close by emphasizing that ¨C ahead of the Summit of the future in September ¨C we must redouble our efforts to harness the full potential of the General Assembly in promoting and sculpting a revitalized multilateralism.
That is, a Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-led multilateral system that prioritizes and cultivates solidarity and trust amongst Member States and that reignites the global community¡¯s faith in our institution ¨C while according equal voice to all Member States, big and small.
Just as the events of nearly eight decades ago served as catalysts for transformative change, let us seize the opportunity offered by platforms like this to reaffirm our commitment to the principles and purposes of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Charter.
Together, we can build a brighter future for generations to come ¨C where peace, justice, and prosperity prevail for all.
I thank you.
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