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Public Address by President General Assembly, H.E Dennis Francis<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n at<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Indian Council of World Affairs<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMultilateralism for Peace, Prosperity, Progress and Sustainability\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Sapru House, New Delhi<\/strong><\/p>\n 24 January 2024\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n [As delivered]<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Your Excellency, Ambassador Ms. Vijay Thakur Singh, Director General of the Indian Council of World Affairs,\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Excellencies, Distinguished Participants,\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Let me begin by expressing my deepest appreciation to Ambassador Singh\u2019s generous invitation to join you today and for her kind introduction.<\/p>\n It is indeed an honour to address this renowned Indian Council of World Affairs.<\/p>\n As India\u2019s first independent international affairs Think Tank, the Council has unmatched standing on the global political landscape \u2013 and I look forward to hearing your views and recommendations for addressing today\u2019s global state of affairs.<\/p>\n Exactly 70 years ago, India\u2019s Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit became the first woman to serve as President of the United Nations General Assembly.<\/p>\n I am therefore privileged to lean on her pioneering shoulders, as one among the woefully low number of female Presidents of the Assembly in 78 years.<\/p>\n When I assumed the Presidency of the\u00a0General Assembly last September, I made a pledge to\u00a0reignite solidarity and<\/strong>to\u00a0renew trust<\/strong>\u00a0in multilateralism.<\/p>\n I am under no illusion regarding the significant challenges of delivering that pledge.<\/p>\n In the last year alone, military takeovers have repeatedly supplanted established orders across\u00a0Western Africa<\/strong>; the war of aggression against\u00a0Ukraine<\/strong>\u00a0has entered another bloody chapter; and\u00a0Haiti<\/strong>\u00a0has descended into lawlessness \u2013 while violent conflict persists in such places as\u00a0Yemen<\/strong>,\u00a0Myanmar<\/strong>, and\u00a0Sudan<\/strong>, resulting in massive internal human displacement.<\/p>\n One month into my tenure, the international community was rocked yet again by another major phase of the conflict in the\u00a0Middle East.<\/strong><\/p>\n The horrific escalation of violence since the 7 October attacks on Israel has further\u00a0eroded trust<\/strong>\u00a0between and among nations, triggered a humanitarian catastrophe in the\u00a0Gaza Strip<\/strong>, and heightened security concerns throughout the world, particularly as it relates to the potential for regionalisation of the war.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, ever-present threats linked to climate change, sea-level rise, and our unsustainable consumption and production patterns continue to create new layers of complexity.<\/p>\n Taken together, these dynamics are undermining the cohesion we need to uphold international law, including the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Charter \u2013\u00a0the backbone\u00a0<\/strong>of our multilateral system.<\/p>\n To change course, while we must recognize these dynamics as being essentially centrifugal in character, our response; our collective response must instead treat them as unifying forces.<\/p>\n In the\u00a0General Assembly \u2013 which is often referred to as the\u00a0Parliament of Humanity\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 we are working to match our ambition with action at the scale and pace needed to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people and communities across the globe.<\/p>\n I am confident that together we\u00a0can<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 and\u00a0will<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 prevail.<\/p>\n For these reasons, I have anchored my Presidency\u00a0in the belief that we are more effective when we work together \u2013 harnessing the immense\u00a0power of multilateralism<\/strong>\u00a0to secure and deliver\u00a0peace<\/strong>,\u00a0prosperity,<\/strong>\u00a0progress<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0sustainability<\/strong>\u00a0for all people everywhere.<\/p>\n Let me turn first to\u00a0Peace:<\/strong><\/p>\n Perhaps nowhere are the dynamics of division on more visceral display than in\u00a0Gaza<\/strong>, where the crisis \u2013 now over 100 days \u2013 has shocked all of us across the globe.<\/p>\n With half the population nearing starvation and a public health catastrophe unfolding, legitimate questions are being raised over what it would take to stop the carnage and to save and sustain human life.<\/p>\n India\u2019s delivery of\u00a0humanitarian goods and medical supplies<\/strong>\u00a0to those affected by the circumstances is highly valued and appreciated \u2013 as are India\u2019s insistent calls for peace in the\u00a0Middle East<\/strong>,\u00a0Ukraine<\/strong>\u00a0and elsewhere across the world.<\/p>\n Indeed,\u00a0peace is the cornerstone<\/strong>\u00a0upon which everything else is built \u2013 offering a stable and enabling environment in which all nations can thrive \u2013 bound by the unifying principles of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Charter, namely, sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence and the peaceful resolution of disputes.<\/p>\n The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ must work tirelessly to translate these principles into reality on the ground.<\/p>\n From sending the\u00a0first-ever all-women<\/strong>\u00a0contingent of peacekeepers in\u00a0Liberia<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 in large part, thanks to India \u2013 to its involvement in peace negotiations in\u00a0Colombia<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Timor-Leste<\/strong>, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ has been rightly ambitious in its promotion and defence of peace as the centre-piece of its mission.<\/p>\n I applaud and commend India as one of the\u00a0largest troop contributors<\/strong>\u00a0to Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ peacekeeping operations.<\/p>\n Moreover, India has also contributed more\u00a0personnel<\/strong>\u00a0to Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ peacekeeping than any other country since the beginning of these peace endeavours, demonstrating a high level of commitment to protecting lives and keeping the peace.<\/p>\n Over the decades, thousands of your communities have bid farewell to \u201cBlue Helmets\u201d \u2013 the beating heart of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ\u2019s commitment to a peaceful world \u2013 and counted the days to their return.<\/p>\n Turning to\u00a0Prosperity:<\/strong><\/p>\n We know the path to sustainable peace is forged collectively through sustainable development.<\/p>\n Yet, we are far off track on every goal of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. I repeat,\u00a0every goal.<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Extreme poverty is on the rise after years of decline, while\u00a0hunger and<\/strong>\u00a0food insecurity<\/strong>\u00a0are again surging.<\/p>\n Despite these adverse headwinds, last September world leaders at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ still registered a hard-won\u00a0triumph of unity over division<\/strong>. The political declaration adopted at the\u00a02023 SDG Summit<\/strong>\u00a0reaffirmed the shared pledge to lift millions from poverty \u2013 and importantly, set out commitments to accelerate action to that end.<\/p>\n The declaration made clear that we can no longer ignore the pressing need to\u00a0reform our global financial institutions.<\/strong><\/p>\n We simply must\u00a0close the financing divide<\/strong>\u00a0inhibiting faster implementation of the SDGs.<\/p>\n In addition, we must update the way we measure prosperity \u2013 looking\u00a0beyond GDP<\/strong>\u00a0to a metric that captures the\u00a0multidimensional nature of vulnerability<\/strong>\u00a0and facilitates access to development resources on better, more affordable terms in order to avoid the crushing weight of debt overload in the Global South.<\/p>\n Further, we must prevent the debt crisis from becoming a deeper development catastrophe. The\u00a0Fourth Conference on Financing for Development<\/strong>\u00a0in 2025 will be a key moment to tackle these issues.<\/p>\n I highly commend India\u2019s\u00a0flagship programmes,\u00a0<\/strong>which aim to deliver upon the 2030 Agenda\u2019s goals at local, sub-national and national levels.<\/p>\n What\u2019s more: India\u2019s model can be\u00a0adapted and applied elsewhere<\/strong>.<\/p>\n India\u2019s leadership in the field of\u00a0digital public infrastructure<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 from innovative governance systems to citizen-oriented services \u2013 represents unparalleled\u00a0transformation in action.<\/strong><\/p>\n I am confident that with the benefit of India\u2019s extraordinary experience and its continued engagement, across all fronts, we can bring progress in attaining the SDG\u2019s\u00a0back on track<\/strong>.<\/p>\n On that note, a word about\u00a0Progress:<\/strong><\/p>\n A critical measure of our advancement will hinge on how well we\u00a0level the playing field<\/strong>. This is especially true for women, who are less likely to work in formal employment.<\/p>\n We stand little chance of achieving the SDGs with\u00a0half the global population<\/strong>\u00a0relegated to the sidelines, left out and locked out from participating in the economic and social life of the communities of which they are an integral part.<\/p>\n I have therefore made\u00a0gender equality and women\u2019s\u00a0<\/strong>empowerment a priority of my Presidency, and I am committed to rallying all Member States around this issue. In this regard, the ever increasing profile and participation of women in India\u2019s revolutionary transformation, based on public policy, is worthy of note and I encourage the authorities to remain steadfast in that trajectory given its potential to empower the SDG\u2019s.<\/p>\n To this end, I have appointed a\u00a0Special Adviser on Gender Equality and Women\u2019s Empowerment<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 who is with me on this important visit \u2013 and I have re-established the\u00a0Advisory Board on Gender Equality<\/strong>\u00a0to assist me with policy ideas and practical measures to mainstream a gender perspective across the priorities of the\u00a0General Assembly.<\/p>\n Is this enough? No, and I will aggressively seek\u00a0more opportunities\u00a0<\/strong>for the empowerment of women and girls.<\/strong><\/p>\n But these are important steps I\u00a0can<\/strong>\u00a0take to\u00a0push back<\/strong>\u00a0against the trends eroding the rights of women and girls, including in the latter case, the right to education, all of which imperil trust in our multilateral system.<\/p>\n As you may recall, we recently commemorated the 75th<\/sup>\u00a0anniversary of the\u00a0Universal Declaration of Human Rights<\/strong>.<\/p>\n And as you would know better, it was India\u2019s delegate,\u00a0Hansa Mehta<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 a staunch defender of equal rights for women in the 1940s \u2013 who made history by insisting on changing the phrase \u201call\u00a0men<\/strong>\u00a0are born free and equal\u201d to \u201call\u00a0human beings<\/strong>\u00a0are born free and equal\u201d in the Declaration\u2019s often quoted \u2013 and now famous \u2013 Article 1.<\/p>\n Her contribution is one of the many ways India has championed respect for human rights, and I count on India to continue writing narratives that showcase women\u2019s leadership, including through women-led development.<\/p>\n On Sustainability:<\/strong><\/p>\n Of course, there have been setbacks on our shared journey to create a more equal, sustainable world.<\/p>\n From the COVID-19 pandemic and impacts of climate change, to the debt crisis and persistent disparities in everything spanning the health, education and digital connectivity sectors \u2013 today\u2019s global challenges are simply\u00a0too great for any one nation to tackle alone<\/strong>.<\/p>\n It is often said that\u00a0adversity breeds resilience<\/strong>.<\/p>\n And there have been examples of tremendous\u00a0ingenuity and solidarity<\/strong>\u00a0along the way, especially in the Global South.<\/p>\n I commend India for its generosity in\u00a0exporting vaccines<\/strong>\u00a0to over 150 countries during the pandemic and championing sustainable recovery through its successful chairmanship of the G20.<\/p>\n I continue to hear the loudest demands for progress from the young people whom I regularly meet \u2013 including at\u00a0COP28\u00a0<\/strong>and my other official visits. As the \u201cDubai Consensus\u201d makes clear, we need ample, predictable financing to enact the necessary reforms.<\/p>\n Natural disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity, while sea-level rise is fast becoming an existential threat, especially for Small Island Developing States like my own country of origin, Trinidad and Tobago.<\/p>\n We simply must meet the demand to observe the\u00a01.5-degrees threshold<\/strong>\u00a0for temperature rise.<\/p>\n We glimpsed instances of leadership at COP28 in the capitalization of the\u00a0Loss and Damage Fund<\/strong>. But as policy and decision-makers, we simply\u00a0must do more<\/strong>\u00a0and act with a greater sense of urgency.<\/p>\n A final word on\u00a0Multilateralism\u00a0<\/strong>itself:<\/strong><\/p>\n As you know better than most, many continue to question the\u00a0relevance and ability<\/strong>\u00a0of our multilateral system to effectively deliver real results in people lives.<\/p>\n And yet, we continually resort to multilateralism, time and again \u2013 because of the very nature of the process itself, as one that, in principle, gives voice to all countries in shaping global policy.<\/p>\n Underpinning all our work \u2013 and an issue which I know is close to India\u2019s heart \u2013 is the urgent need for\u00a0reform of the multilateral system<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Let us face facts:\u00a0it is no longer 1945<\/strong>. Our institutions cannot remain stuck in the past and at the same time hope to fix the challenges of today using a toolkit of yesterday.<\/p>\n The call to\u00a0reform the\u00a0<\/strong>Security Council<\/strong>\u00a0was again raised by a resounding number of world leaders at the opening of the General Assembly\u2019s 78th<\/sup>\u00a0session.<\/p>\n This is a clear political signal of the need for change. And there is a Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ process in place to achieve this goal \u2013 famously referred to as the IGN \u2013 the intergovernmental negotiations.<\/p>\n While it is true that formal negotiations have yet to begin in earnest, such a decision requiring a broad consensus among members, for many delegations the sluggish pace towards formal engagement leave much to be desired.<\/p>\n I thank India for its continued active engagement to breathe new directional life in this urgently needed process.<\/p>\n I should like to acknowledge the efforts of\u00a0Ms. Ruchira Kamboj, the Permanent Representative of India to the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ<\/strong>, for bringing this important discussion to multiple platforms in New York \u2013 as evidenced by the important informal exchange I attended last December.<\/p>\n Colleagues, dear friends,<\/em><\/p>\n Despite the stark realities, our challenges are certainly not insurmountable. There are opportunities to harness in 2024 and in the years ahead.<\/p>\n Foremost among them is the\u00a0Summit of the Future<\/strong>, in September \u2013 where leaders are expected to\u00a0forge a new global consensus<\/strong>\u00a0on how to strengthen the multilateral system: thus fast-tracking the SDGs \u2013 and importantly \u2013 holding Member States more accountable to their commitments.<\/p>\n As President of the General Assembly, I have prioritized this process \u2013 and from now until September, preparations will be at the centre of our attention.<\/p>\n In that connection, in April, I will also hold the first-ever\u00a0Sustainability Week<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 a flagship event of my Presidency, and an important steppingstone on our path to a sustainable future, featuring transport, tourism, infrastructure, energy and debt sustainability.<\/p>\n I look forward to India\u2019s active engagement in these and other high-level initiatives as we move through the session.<\/p>\n Distinguished colleagues,<\/em><\/p>\n Let me close by acknowledging, once more, India\u2019s enduring commitment to and exemplary leadership in multilateral affairs.<\/p>\n India\u2019s G20 Presidency marked a historic milestone as the first ever to usher in the African Union as a permanent member \u2013 a critical step towards a more just, more inclusive and effective multilateralism, and which sent a strong signal of solidarity across the Global South.<\/p>\n For seven decades, India and the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ have been key strategic partners in navigating global challenges such as rapid population growth and yet through the years remarkable progress has been achieved in sustainable development.<\/p>\n Time and again, you have put forward your most precious resource \u2013\u00a0your people<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 in support of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ\u2019s noble ideals and principles, its timeless values to promote and ensure human dignity.<\/p>\n As I mentioned earlier, this includes\u00a0the first woman President of the General Assembly, Ms. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 in whose esteemed footprints I follow, and whose reputation of integrity and tenacity I can only hope to match as I discharge my duties.<\/p>\n On behalf of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and more particularly, on behalf of the General Assembly, I thank India for its exceptional contributions to humanity, and count on its continued involvement \u2013 as we chart new pathways to a more\u00a0peaceful<\/strong>, more\u00a0prosperous,<\/strong>\u00a0and more\u00a0sustainable<\/strong>\u00a0world for everyone, everywhere, without distinction.<\/p>\n I thank you, most kindly.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Public Address by President General Assembly, H.E Dennis Francis at Indian Council of World Affairs \u201cMultilateralism for Peace, Prosperity, Progress and Sustainability\u201d Sapru House, New Delhi 24 January 2024\u00a0 [As […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":373,"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":[81,111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-275171","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","category-speeches","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n