[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.21.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-21px|||||” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.21.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”7px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.21.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Remarks by the President of the 78th session of the General Assembly,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Mr. Dennis Francis,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n at the Closing of the High-Level General Debate<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/i><\/p>\n Ladies and gentlemen,<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n One week ago, I stood before you, your Heads of State and Government, your Ministers and representatives, and I spoke of the need to \u2018unite the nations\u2019.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I made a call to action for all States to find within themselves the will to act together, in solidarity.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I am encouraged by the progress I have seen over this past week.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 136<\/b>\u00a0Heads of State and Government, as well as\u00a040<\/b>\u00a0Ministers, spoke at this rostrum, a record in recent times. Hundreds of voices of civil society, and public and private stakeholders, were heard at Headquarters.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There were only\u00a020 women<\/b>\u00a0leaders who spoke during the General Debate, down from 23 last year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n During High-Level Week, I had the privilege of reconvening the\u00a0Platform of Women Leaders<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 following in the footsteps of my predecessors.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I spoke to many leaders of the need to recognize that women\u2019s voices, aspirations, and rights matter at\u00a0every<\/b>\u00a0level, from the grassroots to the global stage.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And it begins with investing in education, particularly for girls.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let us be resolute in our commitment to inclusivity and ensure that no woman, no man \u2013 indeed,\u00a0no one<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 is ever left behind.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The General Assembly held seven high-level meetings, and we delivered no less than four major political declarations, covering universal health care; work to end tuberculosis; pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response; and the need to urgently and ambitiously scale up sustainable development progress.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This last-mentioned declaration \u2013 a result of the\u00a0SDG Summit<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 is a particularly remarkable win. It is recognition of the promise we made in 2015 to drive sustainable development, as well as a commitment to push harder and close the gaps.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This speaks to the continued relevance of the General Assembly and the commitment by the United Nations to deliver\u00a0peace, prosperity, progress,\u00a0<\/b>and\u00a0sustainability<\/b>\u00a0to the peoples of our world.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n These developments are a welcome reminder that the United Nations remains focused on the collective challenges of our time.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But declarations in and of themselves are not enough.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We need to maintain this momentum and to build on it with concrete, tangible actions.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On this point, I commend the Member States for their active involvement in the\u00a0High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development<\/b>, as well as discussions around the urgent need for reform of the international financial architecture.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We cannot rest until there is accessibility, equity, and justice in development finance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This is the key to accelerating progress on the SDGs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Of the topics raised during the High-Level Week, few were as frequent, consistent, or as charged as that of\u00a0the Ukraine war<\/b>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The international community is clear that political independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity must be respected, and violence must end.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n These are calls grounded in the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Charter.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n That this war is being perpetrated by a permanent member of the Security Council is unconscionable; that it has rekindled decades-old fears of the use of nuclear weapons is unthinkable.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As discussed today, we must redouble efforts to entirely and absolutely end nuclear proliferation and promote full and total denuclearization.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Calls to also give undivided attention to other raging conflicts across the globe \u2013 from\u00a0Africa<\/b>\u00a0to the\u00a0Middle East<\/b>, as well as the deteriorating situation in\u00a0Haiti<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 were also echoed loud and clear.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As President of the General Assembly \u2013\u00a0representing the best interests of all Member States of the United Nations<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 I recommit to do my part to shine a spotlight on the urgent need to resolve these situations of deep concern.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In that regard, as President of the General Assembly, I will make myself available if any nation or leader desires my assistance in facilitating a peace and friendship dialogue between any nations or groups in conflict. Be assured that I am at your service.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n One call resonated across the General Assembly Hall this week: our planet is under siege, with the intensifying effects of climate change becoming increasingly evident.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We see this in the extreme weather events, rising sea levels, pollution and biodiversity loss that are becoming more prevalent \u2013 and more destructive by the day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Embracing climate action means safeguarding the Earth’s natural resources, preserving biodiversity, and ensuring equitable access to clean air and water for all.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It means looking closely at our own carbon footprints.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It means assisting vulnerable communities in building resilience.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It means moving\u00a0Beyond GDP<\/b>\u00a0to a metric that captures a country\u2019s true vulnerability to shocks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tackling these questions is a moral imperative, a scientific imperative, and a social imperative.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I urge the Member States to approach the COP28 climate conference in the spirit of\u00a0unity\u00a0<\/b>and\u00a0solidarity<\/b>, and deliver a transformative, bold plan of action.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And I welcome the recent summit of Pacific Island leaders and President Biden, which builds on recent High-level events I co-hosted on climate mobility and sea-level rise.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ\u00a0must, as a matter of principle and of responsibility, safeguard\u00a0the inalienability of the affected countries\u2019 sovereignty and statehood amidst the climate crisis.\u00a0This challenge cannot rest solely on the shoulders of frontline communities.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Whether on climate or conflict, poverty or justice or peace or strong institutions, these are not just global calls, they are existential calls.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Calls measured in lives lost, homes destroyed, rights violated, inequalities persisted, and accesses denied.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n All these challenges demand that we reach further; that we engage fully in preparations of the\u00a0Summit of the Future<\/b>\u00a0and define the future of international cooperation amid multidimensional risks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n That we refocus our energies towards creating a world that grows sustainably, for the people\u00a0and<\/b>\u00a0planet, and that gives\u00a0every<\/b>\u00a0child an equal chance at success.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We hear so often that the clock is ticking.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We have it within us\u00a0today<\/b>\u00a0to heal our divisions, find integrated solutions that reflect our universal values and commitments, and usher in a brighter tomorrow.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I am confident that we can \u2013 together, as one United Nations.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As we come to the end of this High-Level Week and the General Debate, let us reach out further.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I thank you.<\/b><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Remarks by the President of the 78th session of the General Assembly,\u00a0\u00a0 Mr. Dennis Francis,\u00a0\u00a0 at the Closing of the High-Level General Debate Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen, One […]<\/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":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-272709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n