Remarks by the President of the General Assembly H.E Philemon Yang
at the Opening of the Council of former Presidents of the General Assembly
Monday, 28 October 2024
Seoul, Republic of Korea
(As Delivered)
Your Excellency Dr. Han Seung-soo, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵCPGA Chairman,
Your Excellency Dr. Jan Kavan, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵCPGA Vice-Chairman,
Distinguished Members of the Council,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great privilege for me to address you today.
I would first like to extend my sincere thanks to you, Chair, and the Council of Presidents of the United Nations General Assembly, for the gracious invitation.
The Council is a truly unique body. It brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds and experience, all of whom have filled the same role ¨C to preside over the General Assembly.
I am honoured to stand before you today as a future member of this esteemed Council.
Colleagues,
As someone who is very much new to this role, truthfully, there is still much I have to learn.
To understand all that is required of me.
And to navigate the complexities of the United Nations and the diplomacy between Member States, while responding to the new challenges of a rapidly transforming world.
It is fair to say that not many people would understand this, but you do.
Each of you has been in this role and that makes you an invaluable resource for me.
I hope to benefit from your experience and your wisdom over the coming days.
Colleagues,
We are living in an age marked by crises that cross borders and threaten the very core of our global community.
The deteriorating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and Ukraine, instability in the world economy, and climate disasters across the globe, seem frustratingly hard to overcome.
But as I said during the High-level Week in New York, we must draw on our collective strengths, with determination and conviction.
We may not agree on every issue, but we all share the same fundamental goal: to build a better world, for everyone, everywhere.
As we navigate this complex landscape of challenges, it is essential that we continue advocating for inclusive and impactful multilateralism with the United Nations at its centre.
In this context, and despite all the obstacles, I am encouraged by the adoption of the Pact for the Future by consensus among world leaders.
This was a significant milestone for multilateralism, and we should take pride in it. And we should build on it.
Excellencies,
Dear colleagues,
To genuinely progress, we must revive true cooperation, solidarity, and a renewed spirit of multilateralism within the United Nations.
Trust is the cornerstone of this endeavour.
To rebuild trust among Member States, and in the United Nations itself, I intend to promote dialogues and spaces where Member States can engage freely.
Enhancing collaboration and relationships among the various United Nations organs, such as the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, and the Secretary-General, is also vital.
Furthermore, as highlighted in the recent discussions on revitalization, we must work together more effectively to enhance the role and authority of the General Assembly.
That includes learning from and tapping into the wisdom of those who have come before.
Colleagues,
I opened this General Assembly session, like many of you previously, with a theme. This year I chose, ¡°Unity in Diversity¡±.
It is my sincere hope that I can draw on this unique and diverse group and that, together, we can learn from our past and help to influence a better tomorrow.
If it is true, as the saying goes, that there is ¡°nothing new in the world except the history you do not know¡±, then we have nothing to lose and much to gain by relying on experience, wisdom, and collective strengths.
I very much look forward to hearing from each of you in the days to come.
I thank you.
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