YouSaid · the spoken record

Michelle Bachelet Jeria

lines on the record: 104
first: 2007-09-24
most recent: 2017-09-24
sittings or episodes: 7
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Today it is true that the needs of the global scene are different, but they are urgent and require historic efforts from one and from all. We must cooperate on the level of each country on projects coordinated between nations and guided by a clear agenda that inspires us all and to which we can all contribute.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We share with them a history of effort and hope that bonds us together in the present and the future. Because we have known scarcity, we know what it is to fight to break free of underdevelopment, as well as the fear of falling back into its grasp. We also know what it is to be a middle-income country with a healthy, solid economy yet with dramatic gaps in equality and opportunity for its inhabitants. We therefore know at first hand the need to make changes, but also that change must come about through solidarity, which we claim not only for individuals but also for peoples. To share, cooperate and collaborate is the first step in societies caring for themselves, to regard the present and the future with greater certainty.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“While we still see vast sectors of our countries without access to the most basic public services, and when there is still hunger, segregation, precarious work and enormous inequality, there is only one conclusion: we have a long way to go for the agenda of solidarity to overcome the agenda of selfishness and indifference. It is true that some of those challenges are not exclusive to emerging countries — advanced democracies are also experiencing them. But the demands continue to be far more basic in the South. Chile has made major progress. In several areas we have reached standards that near those of developed countries, and we are proud of those gains. However, there are still many countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia that are facing histories of pain and frustration.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Faced with the challenges presented by governance of the international community, I reaffirm the value of this Assembly and this Organization. That is why we support the transformations promoted by Secretary- General António Guterres for managing the Secretariat, which will facilitate decision-making in key sectors in both policy and administrative issues as well as promote confidence between Member States and the Organization. We have also supported the readjustments to the process of selecting and appointing the Secretary- General so as to make it more transparent and inclusive of all Member States. The long-awaited reform of the Security Council, to make it more democratically representative and fitting for the realities of the world today, is still pending. The world is seen differently from the South.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Middle-income countries, including many small island developing States in the Caribbean, are being graduated by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development solely for having passed the per-capita income criterion. Where, then, is the multidimensional criterion of the 2030 Agenda? Faced with that situation, Chile, together with other countries in the region, has spoken out and requested that a serious dialogue be initiated regarding the incorporation of multidimensional criteria in the definition of development. Together with Jamaica, we are launching a new initiative, the Resilient 20, which seeks to create an alliance to promote resilience in countries that are vulnerable to natural disasters, with a focus on middle-income countries but not limited to them.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“That is to say, on each and every issue that pertains to international coexistence, we have affirmed, and will continue to reaffirm, our commitment to multilateralism and the existence of rules that guarantee the fair treatment of each country. Like other middle-income countries, my country faces major short- and medium-term challenges. That is why we value the multidimensional vision for development set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which recognize the differences between countries and gaps in development that are obscured when the only measurement of development is per capita income. Yet it appears that we are facing a contradiction.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Along the same lines, I also wish to highlight the participation of Chilean observers in the peace process in Colombia, who are wrapping up the first special political mission and initiating the transition to the second. Chile also participated in the first stage of the process with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, and we are now participating as a garantor in conversations between the Colombian Government and the National Liberation Army. We do not believe only in the peaceful resolution of conflicts and disputes, but also in the enormous opportunities opened up by trade. We have worked intensely with our bilateral partners and with the Pacific Alliance to create what we call convergence in diversity. Latin American countries should come together on the basis of that which unites us instead of dwelling on our differences.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“That historic act creates a standard that sets the basis for future negotiations, making it possible to completely eliminate nuclear weapons in a verifiable, irreversible manner. Along with that, I wish to express our pride and satisfaction at having participated for 13 years, with more than 12,000 men and women, in the troop and police contingents of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti. We have renewed our commitment to continuing to participate in cooperation with our specialized police in the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti. Furthermore, as part of our policy on cooperation for development, Haiti has been made a priority partner, like the Caribbean and Central America, in programmes to improve institutions, security, enterprise and professional training.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“In the same vein, we are not the only ones to express our concern about the threats to peace in different parts of the world, such as the Middle East and areas of Africa and Eastern Europe, in particular with regard to the insistence on the use of nuclear weapons, which tests the very limits of peaceful coexistence. As we have publicly indicated, we hope that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will stop the nuclear tests, comply with the resolutions of the Security Council, contribute to guaranteeing lasting stability in North- East Asia and agree to resolve the situation through peaceful diplomatic and political channels. In that context, we actively participated in negotiations for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which we signed this morning.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Lastly, with regard to the third definition we are called upon to understand, I unreservedly state that Chile maintains an unchanging strategic understanding of peace, democracy, human rights and the rights of migrants, and free trade. For that reason, I cannot help but mention the situation of our brother country Venezuela. Chile, together with 11 countries in the region, has called for credible dialogue between the Government and the opposition. We are prepared to play the role that Venezuelans deem appropriate in order to achieve good results in a peaceful, political and democratic manner.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We have done that by enacting reforms from nursery school to higher education, and we have put public education at the centre of that movement. We are gradually increasing access to free education, first for lower-income families — next year, 60 per cent of our students will be have access to higher education free of charge — and then for the entire population. That is our way of promoting the idea that there can be no individual progress without collective progress, that there can be no lasting well-being where a few privileged groups become disconnected from the most disadvantaged. That is our way of realizing that well-being must be founded on a common link and universal values in order to become a reality.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“But we understand that strengthening our democracy is not enough if we do not respond to the demand for greater individual liberties and rights for people. That is why we have made decisive progress in expanding sexual and reproductive freedoms and rights. Of course, that movement towards higher levels of individual freedom must be accompanied by social policies that promote equality and solidarity and expand people’s capacities. That is why education is at the heart of our reforms. In less than four years, we have implemented important changes to ensure, on the one hand, that people will have the education they need and deserve, regardless of their socioeconomic situation, and, on the other, that Chile can count on professionals and technicians in the most important areas for its development.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“International experience has helped us and alerted us to the need to take charge of improving our democratic institutions, as well as transparency and probity in both politics and business, putting a brake on corruption. In that connection, we substantially modified the electoral system that we inherited from the dictatorship, making it more proportional and inclusive and guaranteeing a minimum quota of 40 per cent for female candidates. Along with that, we made changes to the regulations that govern the financing of electoral campaigns and political parties so that money does not define the outcome of elections. And we are in the process of a participatory drafting of a new constitution that is more modern and democratic.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Chile thereby becomes one of the first countries to ratify that new agreement. But that is not all. With the creation of a network of parks in Patagonia, we have also added 4.5 million hectares of green areas, rich in biodiversity, which will now be protected by the State for public use. That shows that it is possible to move forward when there is will, when the public and private worlds join forces. Sustainable development is not a desire impossible to finance. On the contrary, it is the best way for economic activity to be sustained over time. But as I said at the beginning of my remarks, this is not the only dilemma. We also share pressing challenges in terms of democracy and inclusion.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“To tackle that problem, we participate in the Clean Seas campaign of the United Nations Environment Programme. Meanwhile, at the local level, we will present a draft bill to ban the use of plastic bags in coastal cities within 12 months. That law will permit citizens to contribute to the protection of the oceans. We will thus be the first country in America to implement that type of law, and we call on other countries to assume that responsibility. Additionally, it is now 30 years since the adoption of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, which enabled the ozone layer to recover. On this thirtieth anniversary, I would like to announce that my country has just deposited its ratification of the 2016 Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which aims to prevent 0.5°C of global warming.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Since the start of this Administration, non-conventional renewable energy has gone from 6.3 per cent to 17 per cent of our matrix, and our goal is to reach 90 per cent by 2050. That is possible, because we have already started the energy transition. In addition, we have been active in the Our Oceans initiative. We have created new marine parks and marine-protected areas. Almost half of our exclusive economic zone is protected today, reaching the historic figure of 1,329,000 square kilometres under marine conservation. While we have made significant progress in that direction, we are aware that we must address another threat to marine ecosystems — plastics. Year after year, 8 million tons of plastic make their way to the ocean, remaining there for hundreds of years and making a huge negative impact.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The enormous strength of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is precisely that they not only propose a new approach to improving the living conditions of people, they propose that we do it together, based on the strengths of each country. Our commitment to national tasks is bolstered by contact with others. Faced with the choice of whether or not to join the fight against climate change, we have not doubted — simply because there is no room for denialism or selfish postures. In line with SDG 14, on the oceans, and the Paris Agreement, my country has launched a national action plan for climate change. Among the measures already under way are the green tax on carbon dioxide emissions from fixed sources and the transformation we have made in the energy sector.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Today I bring the voice of Chile — a country that has learned from its history, a country that has known pain, but also hope. Beyond its geographical location in the extreme south of the American continent, my country is in fact not far from the world. Quite the contrary, it is fully within it. We therefore know that many of the great local challenges are, and will continue to be, global challenges, and that each global challenge must also find a local response. There is no room for fatalism in the face of those challenges. Today I bring the message of realistic optimism. It is possible to reverse past decisions, overcome inertia and correct our path. That is true for small and large countries, be they in the centre or on the periphery.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“On the other hand, at a time when there is democracy in so many countries as never before, we see a citizenry that has grown impatient with institutions whose legitimacy has been called into question by corruption, inequality and inefficiency with regard to citizens’ most urgent demands. Finally, in an international scenario marked by uncertainty, another definition is required. We either let each State attempt to impose itself and take the greatest advantage of its position, or we work actively for common peace and stability by strengthening the multilateral instruments and cooperation. The fact that we are here today in this Hall, where so many have touted the strength of peaceful and collective work, requires us to look at the risks we face and take on individual and collective tasks, weighing the consequences of inaction.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“While the challenges we face today are different from those that gave rise to the Organization 72 years ago, they are as relevant and as defining as those faced by the postwar generation. On the one hand, the notion of development that has prevailed until now has been shaken by the relentless reality of climate change. We can close our eyes and deny a reality whose devastating effects will become more frequent and intense, or we can assume our responsibility. Beyond reducing carbon dioxide emissions, that implies daring to transform our production models and rethinking the type of growth we wish to promote.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“I want to begin by sending a fraternal greeting to the people of Mexico, and especially to the relatives and friends of the victims of the terrible earthquake that struck that fraternal country yesterday. I also convey my sentiments to the victims and all those affected by the hurricanes that in recent weeks and days have caused enormous damage in the region and, in some cases, irreparable losses. Those most recent catastrophes, caused by hurricanes more frequent and violent than usual — largely due to the warming of the oceans — remind us that we are at a key moment in the history of humankind, a defining moment that will have repercussions on our lives and on the lives of our grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The United Nations must play its role as a place of consensus in opposition to inequality and the discrimination against religious, ethnic and gender minorities, a place to which the most vulnerable may turn. Let us make the United Nations the Organization that our peoples need and call for.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“I raise my voice in favour of an effective management of the United Nations and greater openness in its procedures, including the election of its new Secretary-General. I ask him or her to be committed to the principles that serve the people who founded the Organization. We know that successfully meeting challenges requires joint, consensual efforts. We need more multilateralism, cooperation and dialogue. This is an irreplaceable forum for debate and adoption of agreements. It is a platform for coordinated action. Ms. Kasese-Bota (Zambia), Vice-President, took the Chair. Chile is a country open to the world, which promotes clear-cut rules and political and economic agreements in order to move forward.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Protecting the oceans is vital for our common future, and today they are under threat. Chile has therefore decided to take action by creating the Nazca- Desventuradas Marine Park, which is the largest of its kind in Latin America. We are also engaged in a South- South cooperation project to assist Caribbean countries in combating marine pollution. Outside of this building and in the most diverse corners of the world, people, their leaders, civil society and the media are expecting the States Members of this Organization to provide cooperative, creative and tangible responses to the problems of the twenty-first century. That is why I raise my voice again in favour of Security Council reform to reflect today’s new realities.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Chile, a country that also had a difficult transition to democracy, would like to continue supporting its Latin American brother in handling its post-conflict situation, including with military and police observers in the United Nations political mission, working with it in solidarity as we have done in other brother countries such as Haiti. We have committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals. Similarly, we signed the Paris Agreement — the most ambitious and robust agreement in the history of multilateral negotiations on climate change. Together with Monaco and France, we proposed the Because the Ocean Declaration to stress the need to pay special attention to the way in which environmental degradation affects ocean waters. It has been signed by more than 30 countries.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“In addition, within the Union of South American Nations, South American countries consult each other to address common political problems. Our nation’s principles are immutable and include a call to peace, democracy and respect for human rights, respect for international law and the treaties, sovereignty and the obligation to cooperate. The promotion and protection of democracy and human rights at the international level are not contrary to the principle of non-intervention. In fact, today that is a global achievement. I believe that Colombia has given us one of the greatest pieces of news this year. At the regional and international levels, there is hope for peace. Next Monday, the agreement to end the hostilities of a civil war that has been raging for more than 50 years will be signed.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“And we have made progress. We are working on integration with Mexico, Colombia and Peru in the Pacific Alliance, which already has 49 observer States and which is growing stronger decisively and pragmatically. Today, two integration mechanisms — the Pacific Alliance and the Southern Common Market — are aiming to promote a better Latin America, strengthening cooperation and making clear that national development and international relations cannot be seen as separate subjects. In Latin America there are significant differences, but we are working together in spite of them to meet the new challenges. We are doing that within the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, where 33 member States are seeking to confront the new political, social and economic environment.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Chile is a mid-sized country that is not yet fully developed. However, its rapid modernization in recent decades has placed us squarely at the frontier of the challenges of modernity, with the tensions inherent in democracy and economic growth. I am speaking at this rostrum today having had this experience. I am also speaking from experience of having embarked on the changes requested by the citizens of my homeland. I know how difficult it is to make changes, but I also know the hope of seeing a new horizon gradually emerge. This is the course on which we have embarked as a nation, but also as a part of the international community. At the regional and international levels, our country has advocated convergence in diversity in Latin America, seeking a common agenda that, despite our differences, gives us strength as a bloc and as a region.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“The Sustainable Development Goals that we are committed to achieving by 2030 demonstrate that the international community knows that it must embark on far-reaching changes and implement them with concrete measures. Now we must summon up the political will in multilateral forums and in each of our countries. There is inertia to be overcome and there are interests to be dealt with. The political and development crisis that we are facing has global dynamics. Nobody, no nation or social group can do it alone. We need to engage in multilateral dialogues at the regional and global levels, assuming realistic but demanding commitments. I insist that we must act now. At home, the citizens are waiting for us, asking us to transmit their demands and return with decisions and determination. I hope that we can do that.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Citizen discontent is the expression of disillusionment about the promised development that they desire and for which they have fought valiantly but which is still beyond their reach. We are witnessing a growing schism between the representatives and the represented. There is a lack of trust in national Governments as well as in multilateral forums. They appear not to be tackling the priorities of the common citizen in a timely manner or with the required depth. Now is not the time for taking the easy but ultimately destructive route of populism. Now is the time for action inspired by an ethically motivated and civically oriented pragmatism.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“They are showing us that in their daily lives, at their places of work, at their children’s schools, in the health of their families, in the security of their cities, in the pensions of their mothers and fathers and in the relations between men and women, the negative effects of inequitable development are still being felt. This is the main basis for the citizen discontent that we have seen in various parts of the world. At the same time, we are facing an unprecedented environmental crisis that threatens life on earth, has medical, clinical, economic, climatic and environmental impacts and mostly affects the most vulnerable. These are combined with violence and armed conflict in many parts of the world, which increase precariousness and exponentially expand forced displacement and major migratory movements.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We are living in times that show us the necessity of shifting our perspective with regard to addressing development. Our world is in the midst of a crisis that extends back years, and which, far from being resolved, has only worsened, generating criticism of political institutions that do not seem capable of representing their citizens. At the same time, economic growth has given way to a global slowdown and has not been able to provide the world’s population with the well-being that it seeks. It would appear that the far-reaching dynamics that caused the crisis some years ago were not superseded but merely superficially retouched. But citizens today are more aware and empowered. Thanks to new technology, they have new means of expression.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Those beliefs should guide our action and our commitment to build a better world, a world in which there is better balance between development and the preservation of our environment, a world in which we see more justice, cohesion and equality in our societies and among our peoples.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“I should also like to say that we are extraordinarily pleased to see that there have been numerous other agreements reached as well, for instance between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. We believe that is also proof that where there is a will, there is a way to come to an agreement. Colombia and its people can count on our active support in that process, which we are confident will lead to a lasting peace. We have reason to be proud of our joint achievements and also, let it be said, to be concerned about and attentive to our collective future. But there are grounds for hope as well.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Moreover, we are determined to restore 100,000 acres of forest and to reforest an additional 100,000 acres of land. Agenda 2030 gives us a shared horizon, a shared destination. Now we must act. Each country must act individually, of course, but at the same time we must cooperate with each other in the various North- South and South-South forums and must tackle global challenges jointly in the multilateral forums that we have available to us. I should like to conclude this statement by congratulating two Governments of our region that have resumed diplomatic relations recently, namely, Cuba and the United States of America. That is an historic step for our region and for the world. Chile applauds the use of dialogue and respect for international law as the civilized way for countries to resolve their differences.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“That requires respecting what has been agreed on and refraining from misusing the mechanisms that have been designed for peacefully resolving any differences that may exist. From its home at the southern tip of the American continent, Chile is looking forward, full of hope, to the outcome of the 2015 Paris Climate Conference in December. We have one of the longest coastlines in the world. We will soon be hosting the second Our Ocean Conference, at which countries will be asked to make voluntary commitments to reducing pollution of the seas, combat illegal fishing and protect the diversity of marine resources. As for its intended nationally determined contribution, my country committed to reducing its CO2 emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, compared with 2007, and by up to 45 per cent if we can count on robust international support.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“In the light of that experience we wish to reaffirm our belief in the need to reform the Council by increasing the number of its permanent members and by reducing the use of the veto, at the very least in cases involving crimes against humanity. Such a reform is necessary, reflecting the considerable change and progress seen in the multilateral system, and it would undoubtedly confer greater legitimacy on that most important organ of the United Nations. We as a country are aware that we are all responsible for ensuring that the international system works properly. One essential element for bringing that about is the principle of adherence to international law, which includes strict respect for treaties, as a means of guaranteeing peace and international stability.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Similarly, it is clear that international financial, monetary and trading systems must operate more democratically, effectively and fairly in relation to the interests of developing countries. That is not always the case at present. Consequently, a basic prerequisite for making the Agenda a reality is to strengthen the system of global institutions and multilateral cooperation with broad representation, clear mandates and effective tools. We are calling for an architecture of multilateral institutions that will provide backing for the national policies proposed under the 2030 Agenda. Chile has strengthened the role it plays in the multilateral system. In 2014 and 2015 we have served as a non-permanent member of the Security Council.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“However, success in that endeavour requires a propitious environment, since many of the targets are affected by global dynamics and most of the challenges that we face today cannot be resolved by any single country acting in isolation. Only if we can deliver on an agenda of change at the global as well as the national levels will it be possible to promote more inclusive and sustainable societies. When international trade does not act as an engine of growth, when financial flows are asymmetrical, minimal and volatile, if there are no fair and effective mechanisms for dealing with sovereign debt, if there are not enough predictable flows of official development assistance, then emerging countries, especially the poorer ones, will have great difficulty in attaining the Goals contained in the 2030 Agenda.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“That is an approach that we share and vigorously support — equality within and among countries, equality between men and women, growth, industrialization and inclusive and sustainable consumption, the protection of the environment in its various facets, and social peace, to name but a few of the Agenda’s Goals. They are the face and indeed the foundation of a mode of coexistence based on very deeply held values. We have an opportunity to address the feelings of despair and hopelessness about the future and the lack of trust in institutions that permeate some of our societies. The chief responsibility for sustainable and more equal development rests with each individual country. Chile is wholeheartedly committed to delivering on that responsibility.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“It focuses on addressing various aspects of inequality, which is the main challenge to be found in Latin America, and of course, it goes without saying, in Chile as well. In this new phase of our economic and political development the new Agenda is broad and ambitious and is commensurate with the pressing challenges and long-term goals of fair, creative and peaceful human coexistence. It does not sweep aside the commitments that have already been entered into whose fulfilment is still pending, but rather incorporates new goals and targets, integrating them multidimensionally into the concept of sustainable and inclusive development. It is, in other words, an Agenda of change.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“That is why my Government has decided to take in refugees from the civil war in Syria, and it is also why Chile will expand cooperation with Africa. As of 2016, for example, we will be participating in United Nations peacekeeping operations in that region. In addition to facint the most urgent challenges threatening peace, our planet has yet to stem growing inequality or reach an agreement that would halt global warming. It is for that reason, against the backdrop of such serious international challenges, that this seventieth session of the General Assembly will go down in history as a momentous occasion on which the international community succeeded in forging an agreement, namely, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1). That Agenda is replete with hope and is binding in nature.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Today’s world is faced with both challenges and tasks. We are witnessing a plethora of serious international crises in various parts of the world, crises that have impacted international peace and security, most notably in the Middle East, but also in Europe and Africa. Those crises affect, in particular, huge segments of the civilian populations, who, in desperation, are fleeing in order to save their lives and forge a better future. As an international community, we are dutybound to react with solidarity to restore peace and deploy a response that will enable us to minimize the suffering of both the victims of war and those who are fleeing from war. We commend the efforts that many countries are making to take in the refugees, but we must do more.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Those commitments reflect universal principles and values, as they promote the protection, dignity and fundamental rights of all individuals and contribute to crisis prevention, dialogue, reconciliation and post-conflict management. Our convictions and efforts will always be aimed at enhancing the legitimacy of collective action to meet people’s concerns and demands. We believe that, with an effective and real effort on the part of the international community, we will be able to deal successfully with exceptional crises and, first and foremost, build a world in which all inhabitants live together in peace and dignity.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“The process of constructing a post- 2015 development agenda requires renewed efforts to provide official development assistance and to promote innovative financing mechanisms, encouraging partnerships between countries, international bodies, civil society and the private sector. Chile is interested in a greater coordination of initiatives and instruments to facilitate South-South cooperation between middle-income countries while seeking out ways in which their essential contribution can be made effective. I would also like to note that in Chile we have enacted legal provisions to open our economy fully to imports from the 48 least developed countries, without duties or quotas. I would like to conclude by reiterating the irrevocable commitments made by Chile’s successive democratic Governments to the work of the United Nations.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“In the context of the functions envisaged in the Charter, it is essential to continue support for the political leadership of the Secretary- General to take preventive action and respond to urgent situations that jeopardize the dignity of people and international peace and security. The second relates to fieldwork. The ability of the system to take action in the field is a basic prerequisite in order for the Organization to be relevant to people’s demands and real problems. As the former Executive Director of UN-Women, I had the privilege of seeing the conviction, solidarity and dedication with which United Nations staff help to promote the ideals, principles and mandates of the system. The third area of focus is development and cooperation.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Our country trusts multilateralism, and we believe that participating in the system involves both rights and responsibilities. Because we want to contribute to the solution of global problems, we are a member of the Security Council and the Human Rights Council, we aspire to membership in the Economic and Social Council, and we are contributing to peacekeeping operations, including the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti. That Mission, in which a number of Latin American countries are engaged, is a tangible action of solidarity to support the democratic consolidation of a sister country. We believe, therefore, that it is a political imperative to strengthen multilateralism in three fundamental ways. The first is by enhancing the Secretary-General’s ability to take initiatives.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Therefore, we want to be part of the solution. Since we understand that this entails a global commitment, differentiated actions and binding obligations, we voluntarily made a commitment to reduce our emissions by 20 per cent by 2020. Several other Latin American countries have made similar voluntary commitments. We should like to propose here that there be some type of accountability, which would facilitate compliance and would help to set an example for the countries that are lagging behind. The Organization must ensure the efficiency and consistency of multilateralism as a special forum for tackling the major global issues in an inclusive manner, creating international regimes and promoting cooperation arrangements in priority areas for our peoples.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We launched a productivity and growth agenda to stimulate the economy, promote sustainable development and create decent jobs, as a basic prerequisite for achieving a lasting reduction in inequality and enhancing opportunities. Ultimately, we want to broaden the scope of rights to bring them into line with our enhanced capability as a country. Climate change exacerbates inequalities and intensifies threats. There is a collective duty to act, and Chile is convinced that Latin America has a big contribution to make in this debate. Climate change aggravates inequalities because it has the greatest impact on the most vulnerable. Chile has only a marginal effect on the problem, since it accounts for only 0.25 per cent of carbon emissions, but it undoubtedly suffers the consequences of climate change, as do many others.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“To that end, we have recently adopted a tax reform to ensure greater equity, fiscal sustainability and the resources necessary to carry out an education reform that will ensure a quality education, free of charge, and opportunities for all. Chile will not achieve development while dragging the burden of inequality. We all know that, which is why the tax reform has received cross-cutting support. We are also introducing long-awaited political reforms to enhance our democracy and institutional legitimacy. We have already adopted a law allowing Chileans residing abroad to vote. Progress is being made on the reform to alter the electoral system by eliminating the existing bias and motivating citizens to participate, since now every vote will count. And we want to move towards a new Constitution with fully democratic foundations and content.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)