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Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Mr Dennis Francis, at<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Qatar University<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>under the theme,<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Navigating a New Era:<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Revitalizing Multilateralism for Global Challenges<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n 10 December 2023, Doha, Qatar<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n [As Delivered]<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Students and Faculty Members of Qatar University,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Distinguished Guests,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \n Let me begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to President Al-Ansari and Qatar University for the generous invitation to be with you today.<\/p>\n It is indeed a great pleasure to engage with you \u2013\u00a0the next generation of leaders<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 here, at this world class institution known as much for its academic rigor, as it is for its values of excellence, integrity, academic freedom, diversity, innovation, and responsible citizens empowerment.<\/p>\n As I stand on this stage, I am reminded of my own journey \u2013 one that was profoundly influenced by truly devoted educators who both stimulated and guided my intellectual growth and thus helped to set me on a path of self-discovery and personal challenge.<\/p>\n Educators and institutions \u2013 like Qatar University \u2013 are society\u2019s great liberators of human potential and creators of social capital that drive innovation and sustainable development.<\/p>\n \n So many of the cutting-edge innovations that have made a unique and remarkable imprint on human history have their origins at institutions such as yours.<\/p>\n \n If I leave you with only one message today, it is this:\u00a0We need your talents, and your active engagement.<\/b><\/p>\n \n You<\/b>\u00a0are the future of multilateral cooperation, and therefore, of global problem solving with the potential to create a world at peace with itself and which encourages, facilitates, and supports individual achievement \u2013 the stuff that transforms neighbourhoods into successful communities. No matter your discipline or chosen field of study.<\/p>\n At the midpoint of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development \u2013 and as we prepare to commemorate the 75th<\/sup>\u00a0anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 15th<\/sup>\u00a0December \u2013 multilateralism finds itself in a phase of profound tumult.<\/p>\n \n International Unity\u00a0<\/b>and\u00a0solidarity<\/b>\u00a0are in deficit.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n At the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, we see this in the Security Council deadlock \u2013 that increasingly prevents the Council from effectively performing its primary responsibility to promote and protect international peace and security, and in bewildering inaction to resolve crises in places such as\u00a0Gaza<\/b>,\u00a0Ukraine<\/b>,\u00a0Syria<\/b>,\u00a0the Democratic People\u2019s Republic of Korea,<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0Mali<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In the General Assembly, issues that once attracted consensus with relative ease \u2013 such as disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation \u2013 are now mired in intransigent discord.<\/span><\/p>\n These centrifugal forces\u00a0<\/span>are saturating our politics, our institutions, even our university campuses.<\/p>\n \n Through our media and social media, they are coursing instantly into our consciousness \u2013 creating misinformation and disinformation designed to confuse the public and to undermine trust in public authorities and institutions.<\/p>\n \n Taken together, these dynamics are undermining the very cohesion we need to resolve complex global problems, to uphold international law and to give meaning, real meaning to the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Charter \u2013\u00a0the backbone\u00a0<\/b>of our multilateral system.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As global citizens \u2013 including you, the young people \u2013 we must treat these dynamics as\u00a0unifying forces<\/b>, and channel them towards outcomes that make a meaningful difference for those who need them most.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For these reasons, I have focused my Presidency of the General Assembly on\u00a0rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity<\/i>\u00a0\u2013 premised on the firm belief that we are stronger\u00a0and more effective<\/b>\u00a0when, in taking on the challenges, we work collaboratively.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And that \u2013\u00a0together\u00a0<\/b>\u2013 we can harness the best of multilateralism to secure\u00a0peace<\/b>,\u00a0prosperity<\/b>,\u00a0progress,<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0sustainability<\/b>\u00a0for all.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let me turn first to\u00a0Peace<\/u>:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Perhaps nowhere are the dynamics of division on more visceral display than in Gaza \u2013 where the crisis has galvanized people across the globe.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Innocent civilians in Gaza today join the\u00a02 billion people<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 a quarter of humanity \u2013 who now live in places affected by conflict.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In the last year alone, a series of military takeovers have supplanted established orders across\u00a0West Africa<\/b>, the war and aggression against\u00a0Ukraine<\/b>\u00a0has deepened and\u00a0Haiti\u00a0<\/b>has descended into lawlessness, all while violent conflict persists in several places, including\u00a0Yemen<\/b>,\u00a0Myanmar, Sudan,<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0South Sudan<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n Peace<\/span><\/b>\u00a0is not only the raison d\u2019\u00eatre of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It is the firm\u00a0foundation<\/b>\u00a0upon which everything else is built \u2013 offering an enabling environment in which all nations can thrive, bound by the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Charter principles of\u00a0sovereign equality<\/b>,\u00a0territorial integrity<\/b>,\u00a0political independence<\/b>, and the\u00a0peaceful settlement of disputes<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ is working\u00a0tirelessly\u00a0<\/b>around the globe to make these aspirations a reality, but ultimately, it is member states in the exercise of their sovereign will, that decide whether they will uphold the Charter principles and the law or whether they will put self -interest first and break it.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n From successful peacekeeping operations in\u00a0Liberia<\/b>, to its involvement in peace negotiations in\u00a0Colombia<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0Timor-Leste<\/b>, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ has been ambitious across the peace continuum.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Security Council\u2019s recent authorization of a historic\u00a0security support mission in Haiti\u00a0<\/b>offered a rare, unified voice at a critical time.<\/span><\/p>\n There are, therefore, striking areas of success and cases of global solidarity in action \u2013 which we must multiply to achieve progress at the required scale that can make the difference in achieving good outcomes that provide stability and hope for the affected peoples.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And we will need\u00a0your<\/b>\u00a0help.<\/span><\/p>\n Turning now to\u00a0Prosperity<\/u>:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We know that the path to sustainable peace and security is forged, collectively, through sustainable development. Yet we have fallen off track on\u00a0every<\/b>\u00a0one of the Sustainable Development Goals.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Extreme poverty is on the rise, after years of decline. Hunger and food insecurity are again surging, while the global pandemic set back the education of our children mostly in the Global South and widened the digital divide.<\/span><\/p>\n Despite these adverse headwinds, world leaders at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ still registered a triumph of unity over division.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The political declaration adopted at the\u00a0SDG Summit<\/b>\u00a0in September set out commitments to accelerate action. But achieving the SDGs requires the sustained efforts of\u00a0all<\/b>\u00a0sectors of society \u2013 and not just Governments acting alone.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We need\u00a0your<\/b>\u00a0constructive activism,\u00a0your<\/b>\u00a0ambition\u00a0\u2013 from research on climate and peace, to solutions that will help tackle the multidimensional nature of poverty and adapt our systems for the efficient delivery of global public goods, especially during times of life-threatening global emergency.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We need to hear all voices\u00a0louder\u00a0<\/b>\u2013 yes, Governments and international institutions,\u00a0but importantly<\/b>, civil society, the private sector, academia, philanthropic organisations, scientific communities, and groups representing those who are usually left out from decision-making, especially women and girls, young people like you that I rather think of as emerging thought leaders, indigenous peoples, older persons, and those who are differently abled.<\/span><\/p>\n A word about\u00a0Progress<\/u>:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A critical measure of our advancement will hinge on how well we ensure that everyone has an equal chance to thrive. Inclusion must be part of the formula for development.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Today, we are seeing a pushback against women\u2019s rights in many corners of the world, including the denial of the right to education for young girls in certain countries. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We stand\u00a0no chance<\/b>\u00a0of achieving the SDGs with half the global population sitting on the side-lines \u2013 locked out from opportunities to participate in the economic and social life of the community of which they are otherwise an integral part.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I have therefore made gender equality a priority of my Presidency, and I am committed to building trust among Member States on this issue.<\/span><\/p>\n To that end, I have appointed a Special Adviser on Gender Equality and Women\u2019s Empowerment, to assist me in mainstreaming a gender perspective across my priorities.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Is this enough? Not nearly enough, but it is a pioneering step and we continue to aggressively seek more avenues to push the envelope for gender equality and women\u2019s empowerment.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I therefore ask you today to unleash your advocacy so that \u2013\u00a0together<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 we can create a visible and united force for gender equality and women\u2019s empowerment.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Together with all world leaders and you as advocates, we can \u2013 and must \u2013 ensure that every\u00a0girl\u00a0<\/b>goes to school, every\u00a0boy<\/b>\u00a0becomes an agent of change on the path to gender equality, and that every\u00a0woman<\/b>\u00a0has an equal opportunity to be a leader in the profession or role of her choosing.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I would not be standing at this podium today sharing my perspectives with you without the devoted service and support of a group of dedicated women, one of whom, Asma Al-Muhannadi, is herself a proud graduate of Qatar University.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Today \u2013\u00a0Human Rights Day<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 we have no better opportunity to do\u00a0our<\/b>\u00a0part to ensure that\u00a0every human being<\/b>\u00a0has an equal chance to live a safe, productive, and dignified life. Let me reiterate the opening words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; \u201cAll human beings are born free and equal in dignity and in rights.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Why then do some find it so easy to deny others what are their inalienable rights \u2013 and get away with it? And we are seeing such violation of the law play out in several places around the world, virtually with impunity. It is a slippery slope between denying someone their human rights and devaluing them to the point where they can be exterminated.<\/span><\/p>\n I then ask:\u00a0 Should we \u2013 as a civilized society \u2013 turn a blind eye to such practices? Will you \u2013 as tomorrow\u2019s leaders \u2013 tolerate such egregious assault on the law and on humanity?<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A few words about\u00a0Sustainability<\/u>.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I hear the loudest demands for progress from the young people I meet \u2013 and most recently at COP28 in neighbouring Dubai \u2013 where young participants forcefully pushed for responsible\u00a0climate action<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Everywhere, young people recognize that while climate change is dire, it is quite possible, with the requisite political will, to take corrective action now to mitigate its effects on society.<\/span><\/p>\n We have greener and bluer solutions at hand \u2013 and we heard additional bold pledges recently at COP28.<\/span><\/p>\n Alternatively, the costs of inaction are\u00a0existential\u00a0<\/b>especially\u00a0<\/b>for countries in special situations as we also heard recently during COP28 \u2013 least developed, landlocked, and particularly, Small Island Developing States, where rising seas are raising imperative questions about the future of their sovereignty and statehood.<\/span><\/p>\n I encourage you to contribute to the on -going debate on how to improve the international legal framework to protect the interests of affected states to remove any doubt about the longevity of their sovereignty as a consequence of maritime inundation. My dear friends,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n It would be remiss for me to conclude without mention of an ongoing process that I know is of great interest to you: the\u00a0Summit of the Future.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n At the\u00a0Summit of the Future in September 2024<\/b>, leaders will aim to forge\u00a0a new global consensus<\/b>\u00a0on how to strengthen our multilateral system so it can better deliver for people and planet: enhancing digital cooperation, redressing governance gaps and holding Member States more accountable for their commitments.<\/span><\/p>\n It is part of a continuum of efforts to deliver faster \u2013\u00a0and smarter<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 on the 2030 Agenda, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, and the Paris Agreement on climate change.<\/span><\/p>\n Its anticipated outcome \u2013 the\u00a0Pact for the Future<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 is essentially a compact\u00a0between the generations<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n It is a needed investment in you, the young people who will carry on the work towards a brighter tomorrow.<\/span><\/p>\n I look forward, with anticipation, to your inputs in shaping the outcomes of this important Summit.<\/span><\/p>\n Students and Faculty Members of Qatar University,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Distinguished Guests,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n In my country of origin, Trinidad and Tobago, we use the word\u00a0\u201cgayap\u201d<\/b>\u00a0to describe the tradition of people coming together to complete a significant task.<\/span><\/p>\n It captures the idea that \u201cmany hands make light work\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n And that\u00a0we<\/b>\u00a0all<\/b>\u00a0have a role to play, a contribution to make to our joint success.<\/span><\/p>\n Both The history and future of multilateralism are still being written.<\/span><\/p>\n I challenge you, the thought leaders of tomorrow, to help write the next chapter and to assist in setting the compass to usher in a\u00a0new era of multilateralism, robust, effective, agile, and responsive and driven primarily by the needs and interests of people.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n It is not beyond our capacity to rebuild the foundations for trust and meaningful cooperation \u2013 that will deliver us to a safer, more equal, more just and more prosperous world, where no one anywhere is left behind.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s get it done!<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I thank you.<\/span><\/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 General Assembly, Mr Dennis Francis, at Qatar University\u00a0under the theme, Navigating a New Era: Revitalizing Multilateralism for Global Challenges 10 December 2023, Doha, Qatar […]<\/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-274685","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<\/s><\/span><\/p>\n<\/s><\/span><\/p>\n
Report of the International Criminal Court,<\/p>\r\n