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Remarks by the President of the General Assembly<\/strong><\/p>\n H.E. Dennis Francis<\/strong><\/p>\n High-Level Segment for Heads of State and Government<\/strong><\/p>\n COP28 <\/strong>Dubai, UAE<\/strong><\/p>\n 1 December 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Your Highness, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan,<\/p>\n Your Excellency, Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India,<\/p>\n Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President,<\/p>\n Esteemed Heads of State and Government,<\/p>\n Your Excellency Antonio Guterres, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Secretary-General,<\/p>\n Mr. Simon Stiell, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵFCCC Executive-Secretary,<\/p>\n Excellencies, Distinguished Participants,<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Let me begin by expressing my sincere congratulations to the COP28 Presidency and the Government of the United Arab Emirates for the arrangements put in place for the hosting of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Climate Conference this year.<\/p>\n I am truly grateful for your kind invitation and for the quality of the reception extended to me and my team in the Office of the President of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly since our arrival in Dubai.<\/p>\n While our world is fraught with global challenges, perhaps none loom as large \u2013 or as consequential \u2013 as the climate crisis.<\/p>\n The Paris Agreement remains the single best answer to the myriad effects of the climate crisis.<\/p>\n Living up to the letter and spirit of the Paris promise is the ultimate goal of our deliberations; a goal close to my heart \u2013 quite literally so, as I wear, and have worn, even predating my assumption of the Presidency, a lapel pin advocating for the goal of \u201c1.5 degrees\u201d.<\/p>\n A few weeks ago, it was my privilege to pay a visit to the Cook Islands.<\/p>\n There \u2013 at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, leader after leader spoke, agonizingly, of the real existential threats posed by sea-level rise \u2013 itself a direct impact of climate change, but also an indisputable result of our actions or, perhaps more aptly, our inaction.\u00a0<\/p>\n As a citizen of a Small Island Developing State, I am acutely aware that, on our current trajectory, those islands \u2013 and the wealth of culture and history they represent \u2013 are at peril of imminent disappearance through inundation by the seas.<\/p>\n The scenario presented by the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵEP Emissions Gap Report of a 3-degree world, is not science fiction \u2013 it is the path we are on. We must change this trajectory.<\/p>\n For far too long, leaders across the spectrum have stood at podiums such as this and made grand commitments that capture public opinion, only to be found, upon subsequent examination, to be either short or totally lacking in implementation.<\/p>\n We are long past the time for climate diplomacy through public relations.<\/p>\n Action, progressive, transformative action, is needed now to stabilize atmospheric temperatures and to ensure sustainability of the planet and of human civilization.<\/p>\n It is time for a once-in-a-generation change.<\/p>\n Pervasive evidence indicates that we have, at least academically, rethought the way we live, the way we produce, and the way we consume on this planet.<\/p>\n Curiously, what we have not done is to actually reshape and re-engineer our production systems, our lifestyles and habits to match the dictates of climate and planetary sustainability.<\/p>\n Borrowing from the Secretary General\u2019s descriptor about \u201cglobal boiling\u201d, the extant situation demands a new, more sustainable, more resilient, more equitable industrial revolution.<\/p>\n We need a just transition to sustainable energy systems.<\/p>\n We need to retrofit for resilience and sustainability.<\/p>\n I am convinced that we have both the capacity and the tools at our fingertips to do this \u2013 while leaving no one behind.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The energy transition coupled with robust mitigation action is understandably front and center in this effort if we are to halt climate change in its tracks.\u00a0<\/p>\n While the world is moving to renewable sources somewhat faster than anyone might have imagined, significantly more than our feeble efforts are required, at scale, to produce the desired critical reduction in the levels of emissions.<\/p>\n Let us therefore triple renewable energy capacity \u2013 as the COP28 Presidency has challenged us to do \u2013 and then let us triple it AGAIN!<\/p>\n Of course, our high levels of energy dependency impact everything we do \u2013 from transport to infrastructure to tourism \u2013 and for this reason, I intend to do my part in carrying forward these important, sector-specific conversations at the General Assembly of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ.<\/p>\n Mindful of this imperative, I am pleased to announce that I will convene the first-ever General Assembly \u201cSustainability Week\u201d at Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Headquarters in New York in April 2024, as a flagship initiative of my Presidency.<\/p>\n This Week will consolidate several high-level already mandated events promoting sustainability in transport, tourism, and infrastructure sectors. Perhaps most importantly, it will incorporate the Global Stocktake on Energy \u2013 which aims to complement the Stocktake here at COP28.<\/p>\n The results of Sustainability Week, will, I hope, add further momentum to the path laid out at COP28 and ahead of the 2024 Summit of the Future next September.<\/p>\n I look forward to welcoming delegations \u2013 at the highest level possible \u2013 to New York in April, in pursuance of SUSTAINABILITY.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n While we work towards a fast-tracked energy transition, we must reconcile the reality that climate impacts are here already and will only intensify as we continue the march towards 1.5 degrees.<\/p>\n It is absolutely essential, therefore, that we deliver meaningful progress in specific relation to adaptation.<\/p>\n Clearly, we need to shore up financing for adaptation.<\/p>\n More accessible, more available, and more affordable financing from the international financial institutions must be unlocked.<\/p>\n On this point, there is hope. And I welcome the capitalization of the Fund for Loss and Damage. Developing countries deserve no less. I make the plea, let us continue to build on this success, let this be just the beginning.<\/p>\n From building sea walls to designing drought-resistant crops, developing countries must receive the necessary financial and technical support for climate adaptation.<\/p>\n And I applaud the efforts of partners to make community grants and financing more available and quickly accessible \u2013 as such funding is particularly important for small island developing States and marginalized communities on the frontlines of climate change, as well as for vulnerable groups, especially women and girls.<\/p>\n Such resources can help facilitate global and local early warning systems, as well as data and information services to better address extreme climate events.<\/p>\n We need to not only be risk-informed but also resilient, at every level and across all stakeholders \u2013 thus leaving no one behind.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Esteemed Heads of State and Government,<\/p>\n Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I am not just optimistic \u2013 I am convinced that we can emerge from Dubai with a triumvirate of undertakings: a threefold surge in renewable energy, a financial influx to propel sustainability, and a fortified support system for those confronting climate-induced vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n Our collective resolve must echo louder than the challenges we face. Together, we can make COP28 a decisive win for our people, for our communities and for our planet.<\/p>\n The actions we take here will resonate for generations \u2013 proving that when nations and peoples unite in a common quest for peace, progress, prosperity, and sustainability for all, we can surmount any obstacle and create the \u2018future we want\u2019.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s get it done.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I thank you.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/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 General AssemblyH.E. Dennis FrancisHigh-Level Segment for Heads of State and GovernmentCOP28 Dubai, UAE1 December 2023\u00a0Your Highness, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan,Your Excellency, Narendra […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":371,"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>\r\n H.E Dennis Francis<\/p>\r\n GA plenary meeting on the Monday, 30 October 2023<\/p>\r\n As Delivered<\/i><\/i><\/p>\r\nPresident of the International Criminal Court, Judge Piotr Hofmanski,<\/i><\/i>\r\n\r\nExcellencies,<\/i>\r\n\r\nDistinguished Delegates,<\/i>\r\n\r\n\u00a0<\/i>\r\n\r\nToday we gather to consider the annual report of the\u00a0International Criminal Court (ICC) \u2013 a\u00a0 critical pillar of the international legal order.\r\n\r\nThe ICC stands as a perennial symbol of our shared commitment to justice and humanity\u2019s greatest aspirations.\r\n\r\nIt 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.\r\n\r\nIndeed, when it comes to the most egregious crimes against humanity,\u00a0 accountability knows no exceptions and justifiably so.\r\n\r\nIn 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.\r\n\r\nAccordingly, 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.\r\n\r\nThe Court is indeed a truly unique embodiment of our collective resolution to upholding the principles of justice and accountability.\r\n\r\nI 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>.\r\n\r\nThe 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.\r\n\r\nThese 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.\r\n\r\nLadies and Gentlemen,<\/i>\r\n\r\nWe must acknowledge that the Court operates in a multifaceted international landscape.\r\n\r\nIts jurisdiction spans cases where state parties have brought situations to the attention of the Court, including situations referred by the United Nations Security Council.\r\n\r\nWhile it may present a unique set of challenges \u2013this duality in referral mechanisms underscores the importance of international cooperation.\r\n\r\nDespite 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.\r\n\r\nAs more countries join and support the ICC, the bold ambition of ending impunity for the most serious crimes becomes increasingly realistic to achieve.\r\n\r\nAs we engage in this discussion, let us remember the voices of the victims, whose suffering must compel us to take meaningful action.\r\n\r\nI 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.\r\n\r\nI 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.\r\n\r\nIn 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.\r\n\r\nLet 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.\r\n\r\nI thank you and look forward to a fruitful discussion on this important matter.","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-274498","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
Report of the International Criminal Court,<\/p>\r\n