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\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Mr. Dennis Francis,\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n at the event on the occasion of World Soil Day<\/strong><\/p>\n Soil and water: a source of life\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Thursday, 7 December 2023\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n (As Delivered)\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Thank you madam Moderator\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n Distinguished co organizers. <\/i>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Your Excellency, Dr. Suriya Chindawongse, Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations <\/i>\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n Madam President ECOSOC,\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Distinguished Participants,\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ladies and Gentlemen,\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thank you for affording me the opportunity to join you today, 5th<\/sup>\u00a0December, in\u00a0commemorating\u00a0World Soil Day<\/b>, designated by the General Assembly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I should like to commend the Permanent Missions of Thailand, Namibia, and Australia for organizing this event, together with the Food and Agriculture Organization and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, given the extant preoccupation with global food insecurity in the context of sustainable development.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And\u00a0\u00a0so\u00a0I welcome this year\u2019s theme:\u00a0\u201cSoil and Water: a source of life\u201d, which captures the essence\u00a0of the linkage between key environmental factors on the one hand and life , our lives on this planet, on the other.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Soil anchors roots, retain water and stores nutrients.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is the largest terrestrial store of carbon.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Water, meanwhile, is a non-negotiable component of our existence. We drink it every day \u2013 every creature and ecosystem on this planet, requires hydration.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While soil and water are indisputably essential to humans\u2019 existence, it is unfortunately that they are not managed sustainably\u00a0to maximize food production and for other\u00a0purposes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n At present, Soil and water are the most threatened among our natural resources.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Currently,\u00a033% of soils<\/b>\u00a0are degraded, and the regeneration of eroded soil can be an arduous process, requiring up to\u00a0\u00a0a 1,000 years to produce a mere 2-3 cm of replenished earth.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Today, clean, and fresh water \u2013 found in rivers, lakes, wetlands, and aquifers \u2013 is simply inaccessible to a significant proportion of global population.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Indeed,\u00a02.4 billion people <\/b>live in countries where water scarcity is a daily reality, creating a challenge for successful crop cultivation. Consequently, 735 million people, world over,\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0are in a state of chronic hunger.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies,\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n As we mark this important day, let us\u00a0pledge today to safeguard quality and security of these \u2013 our most vital resources.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let us protect them against the threats of climate change, land degradation, unsustainable practices, and pollution.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let us commit to collective efforts to use soil and water sustainably, and to unlock the benefits of sustainable production and consumption, which could lead to upwards of\u00a058% more food production.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Colleagues<\/i>, this requires that we rethink our policy frameworks\u00a0to protect and restore water-rich ecosystems which safeguard our planet.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Along with all stakeholders, Governments must prioritize the conservation of soil and water, fostering an eco-friendly agri-food system, enhancing ecosystem resilience, and contributing to climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is also crucial that we leverage modern technologies to bolster disaster resilience, including through hydrometeorological monitoring and forecasting systems.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies,\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n As announced at COP 28, I will host – \u2018Sustainability Week<\/b>\u2019\u2013 in the General Assembly in April 2024.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This Week will feature high-level mandates in key sectors of tourism, transport, infrastructure, and energy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Each of these sectors has a clear and direct impact on food and water systems \u2013 necessitating that these concerns be comprehensively addressed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I look forward to highest possible level of participation by your delegations during Sustainability Week; and I hope that your reflections here today will inform our resolve to achieve\u00a0sustainability\u00a0for all.<\/p>\n <\/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":" \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,\u00a0 Mr. Dennis Francis,\u00a0 at the event on the occasion of World Soil Day Soil and water: a source of life\u00a0 Thursday, […]<\/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>\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-274622","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