[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.23.1″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,<\/b><\/p>\n
Mr. Dennis Francis,<\/b><\/p>\n
At the Pacific ACP (African, Caribbean, Pacific) Meeting<\/b><\/p>\n
at the Pacific Island Forum Leader\u2019s Meeting<\/b><\/p>\n
[As Delivered]<\/b><\/p>\n
7 November 2023<\/b><\/p>\n
Excellencies,<\/p>\n
Dear friends and colleagues,<\/p>\n
Thank you for the kind invitation to be with you today and to address the Pacific ACP \u2013 or African, Caribbean, and Pacific group.<\/p>\n
I had the chance to address many of you yesterday, when I spoke at the Smaller Island States meeting.<\/p>\n
I echo today what I said then: multilateralism thrives when there is dialogue, diplomacy, and problem solving.<\/p>\n
It is the single greatest tool we have to address the collective challenges that we face; that is, if we use it to its fullest potential.<\/p>\n
For the ACP countries, fullest potential means tightening the bonds between the three regional groups, and leveraging the power of this collectivity to deliver meaningful, transformative results for all.<\/p>\n
I say that as President of the General Assembly, whose job it is to manage the interests and expectations of differing blocs and groups.<\/p>\n
And I say that as a citizen of the Caribbean, a member country of the ACP, who recognizes that our voices will only be heard \u2013 will only be loudest \u2013 when we speak together.<\/p>\n
Excellencies,<\/p>\n
As I have emphasized repeatedly throughout this week, there are harsh realities that we must recognize and reconcile.<\/p>\n
First, the mitigation goal of limiting temperature rise to no more than 1.5 degrees must remain our goal, as a matter of the survival and sustainability of small islands and many others in the Global South. That benchmark must therefore remain our point of departure in interfacing with third parties. COP28 will be a key moment in that regard.<\/p>\n
Second, even if we are successful in limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees we will still have to live in a warmer world where many of the irreversible impacts of climate change, such as sea-level rise, are already occurring. That necessitates financing for climate action and for development, particularly and most importantly for communities.<\/p>\n
And third, adaptation and resilience building simply may not cut it, not for all of us. Sea-level rise is happening and will continue to happen. It is therefore absolutely essential that small islands and low-lying states across the globe band together and ask the international community: what next?<\/p>\n
When islands become uninhabitable, what then?<\/p>\n
Do we watch as communities are scattered to the wind and generations of culture and heritage are left to fade?<\/p>\n
Do maritime boundaries and statehood shrink or diminish through definitions that may be driven by commercial interests?<\/p>\n
The answer must be, no.<\/p>\n
And we can be the authors of that destiny.<\/p>\n
But making that happen means working together, leveraging collective power and reach, and committing to a strategy of perseverance that leaves no stone unturned, and no question unanswered.<\/p>\n
Yes, our states and statehoods will persevere.<\/p>\n
Yes, our cultures and heritage will endure.<\/p>\n
And yes, our homes and homelands will be supported with every available tool and resource that is needed to guarantee their prosperity and their sustainability.<\/p>\n
Excellencies,<\/p>\n
As President of the General Assembly, I am doing my part.<\/p>\n
I have co-hosted a high-level Breakfast Summit, on the sidelines of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵGA High-Level Week.<\/p>\n
I have hosted an Informal Plenary on the Existential Threats of Sea Level Rise.<\/p>\n
And now I am here, working with you to ensure a robust plan of action that we, collectively, can take forward to COP28, to the Fourth International conference of Small Island Developing States, and to the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Membership for transformative action.<\/p>\n
What I ask of you, is to unite and work together to deliver those messages, and to drive that momentum.<\/p>\n
Let us ensure we are a singular, powerful force that cannot be ignored, and that cannot be delayed.<\/p>\n
I look forward to working with you to make that happen.<\/p>\n
I thank you.<\/p>\n
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Remarks by the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Dennis Francis, At the Pacific ACP (African, Caribbean, Pacific) Meeting at the Pacific Island Forum Leader\u2019s Meeting [As Delivered] 7 November […]<\/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":"
Remarks of the President of the General Assembly<\/p>
H.E Dennis Francis<\/p>
GA plenary meeting on the
Report of the International Criminal Court,<\/p>
Monday, 30 October 2023<\/p>
As Delivered<\/i><\/i><\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
President of the International Criminal Court, Judge Piotr Hofmanski,<\/i><\/i><\/p>
Excellencies,<\/i><\/p>
Distinguished Delegates,<\/i><\/p>
\u00a0<\/i><\/p>
Today we gather to consider the annual report of the\u00a0International Criminal Court (ICC) \u2013 a\u00a0 critical pillar of the international legal order.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
The ICC stands as a perennial symbol of our shared commitment to justice and humanity\u2019s greatest aspirations.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
It serves as an emphatic reminder that\u00a0no one \u2013 I repeat, no one \u2013 should be exempt from accountability for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community,\u00a0and that regardless of their status, position or location, perpetrators of such crimes will invariably face the weight of justice.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
Indeed, when it comes to the most egregious crimes against humanity,\u00a0 accountability knows no exceptions and justifiably so.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
In those grave and heinous cases \u2013 when national legal systems prove unable or unwilling to bring perpetrators to justice \u2013 the ICC must step in.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
Accordingly, the ICC stands as a testament to our unshakeable resolve to end impunity, and moreover, to deter others from the commission of such crimes in the future.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
The Court is indeed a truly unique embodiment of our collective resolution to upholding the principles of justice and accountability.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
I express my\u00a0 fulsome appreciation to the Court for its diligent efforts,\u00a0 as indeed to its judges and its prosecutor, as well as to the dedicated staff who have laudibly committed themselves to the pursuit of justice \u2013 and indeed, to what is\u00a0right<\/i>.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
The report highlights both the progress and the challenges faced by the ICC this year, specifically as regards the prevention and punishment of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
These principles are fundamental to our global vision of peace and are integral to our mission of maintaining international peace and security, promoting respect for human rights, and delivering justice to those who have suffered the gravest injustices.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/i><\/p>
We must acknowledge that the Court operates in a multifaceted international landscape.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
Its jurisdiction spans cases where state parties have brought situations to the attention of the Court, including situations referred by the United Nations Security Council.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
While it may present a unique set of challenges \u2013this duality in referral mechanisms underscores the importance of international cooperation.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
Despite these challenges, the hope for universal ratification of the Rome Statute, and the Kampala amendments, serve as a profound affirmation of the ICC's enduring commitment to justice.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
As more countries join and support the ICC, the bold ambition of ending impunity for the most serious crimes becomes increasingly realistic to achieve.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
As we engage in this discussion, let us remember the voices of the victims, whose suffering must compel us to take meaningful action.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
I underscore the\u00a0need for universal cooperation with the court among Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Member States in our common pursuit of a more just and peaceful world.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
I call upon States to support the ICC where it faces constraints in its pursuit of justice, including predictable funding to effectively undertake its investigations and prosecutions.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
In line with the fundamental principle of complementarity, States should cooperate\u00a0with the ICC and with each other in investigations and prosecutions, including by sharing information and evidence to uphold the rule of law and ensuring accountability for the most serious crimes.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
Let us remain committed to strengthening the international legal framework and ensuring that the ICC continues to fulfill its essential role in our global efforts to prevent impunity and injustice and to promote lasting peace.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
I thank you and look forward to a fruitful discussion on this important matter.<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-274090","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