YouSaid · the spoken record

S.M. Krishna

lines on the record: 45
first: 2009-09-24
most recent: 2012-09-24
sittings or episodes: 3
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

“Let me conclude by assuring the President and the members of the Assembly that India will continue to abide by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and will strive to strengthen the United Nations.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Equally, India will promote and lend its weight to enhancing the voice and participation of developing countries in decision-making in global economic and financial institutions. The quota reform process of the International Monetary Fund must be accelerated with altered quotas that reflect contemporary economic weight. Speaking in the Assembly on 14 October 1968, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi said, “The United Nations is the trustee of the world’s peace and represents the hopes of mankind. Its very existence gives a feeling of assurance that the justice of true causes can be brought fearlessly before the world. This Assembly and the agencies of the United Nations should, in all that they do, sustain those hopes and promote the causes of peace”. Those words remain true to this day.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Sticking to structures designed at the end of the Second World War only constrains multilateralism from delivering on its promises. The most important and decisive step towards remedying that situation pertains to the Security Council, which must be expanded in both the permanent and non-permanent categories. A reformed Council must include countries that are capable of bearing, and willing to bear, the additional burdens relating to the maintenance of international peace and security, as well as willilng to sustain global campaigns against new and emerging global threats. Let me also stress that we must address, sooner rather than later, the incongruity of the lack of permanent membership for Africa.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We are ready to partner with the Afghan people as they rebuild their country in accordance with their own priorities and national circumstances. The continuing existence beyond Afghanistan’s borders of safe havens and sanctuaries for terrorists is the major impediment to the restoration of peace and security in Afghanistan. India is committed to creating an enabling environment in which the Afghan people can live in peace and security and decide their future for themselves, without outside interference, coercion or intimidation. The United Nations and the norms of international relations that it has fostered remain the most efficacious means for converting today’s challenges into opportunities. However, we need to ensure that the architecture of global governance reflects contemporary realities.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Within South Asia, we have sought to enhance bilateral relations individually with each of our neighbours and through the aegis of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. We have embarked on a resumed dialogue process with Pakistan and advocate a step-by-step approach to normalizing our bilateral relations. An unwarranted reference has been made from this rostrum to Jammu and Kashmir. Our principled position on the issue has been consistent and is well known. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have chosen their destiny and reaffirmed it repeatedly through India’s well-established democratic processes. We wish to make it abundantly clear that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. India supports the Government and people of Afghanistan in their endeavour to build a peaceful, stable, democratic and prosperous country.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Support for the Palestinian cause has been a cornerstone of India’s foreign policy. We were privileged to receive President Mahmoud Abbas in India earlier this month. We support Palestine’s aspirations for enhanced status at the United Nations. It is imperative that there be an early realization of a sovereign, independent, viable and united State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living within secure and recognized borders, side by side and at peace with Israel, as endorsed in the Arab Peace Initiative, the Quartet road map and the relevant United Nations resolutions. India desires constructive and friendly relations with all its neighbours. We have a vision of a peaceful, stable and prosperous region with enhanced cooperation and connectivity linking us with Central Asia, the Gulf and South-East Asia.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The Conference on Disarmament — the international community’s sole multilateral disarmament negotiating forum — deserves our support in discharging its mandate of negotiating treaties on issues on the international disarmament agenda. The crisis in Syria continues unabated and is a matter of serious concern for us. Any further militarization of the crisis can have catastrophic consequences for the region. We urge all parties to commit themselves to resolving the crisis without any further bloodshed through an inclusive, Syrian-led political process that can meet the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. We support the efforts of the United Nations and urge all sides to cooperate in good faith with the Joint Special Representative of the United Nations and the League of Arab States, Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The principles of the Rajiv Gandhi action plan of 1988 for achieving nuclear disarmament in a time-bound, universal, non-discriminatory, phased and verifiable manner remain relevant, even after more than two decades. A renewed consensus on non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament must be forged. Meaningful dialogue among all States possessing nuclear weapons is needed in order to build trust and confidence and to reduce the salience of nuclear weapons in international affairs and security doctrines. Measures must be taken to reduce nuclear risks, including the grave risk of terrorists gaining access to weapons of mass destruction, and thus to strengthen nuclear security.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Peacekeeping and disarmament are among the unique pursuits of the United Nations, because they embody the promise and innate potential of the Organization to make the world a better place. India has a proud history of participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations dating back to the 1950s, having taken part in as many as 43 peacekeeping operations. The challenge before the international community today is to ensure that United Nations peacekeeping is adequately resourced and enabled to meet the realities of today, including in post-conflict and peacebuilding contexts. In that regard, we are hopeful that progress will be made on all outstanding issues between the Sudan and South Sudan. India is committed to achieving a nuclear- weapon-free world.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“It is time we demonstrated the necessary political will to agree on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism so as to strengthen the normative framework against the increasingly sophisticated and globalized terrorist challenge. India continues to be gravely concerned by the menace of piracy and armed robbery at sea. Apart from the major economic and commercial consequences of that scourge, it has serious humanitarian implications for the large number of seafarers held hostage by pirates. The need of the hour is once again concerted international action under United Nations auspices, with special attention to addressing the welfare of seafarers and their families.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Mutual respect for deeply held religious sentiments is the bedrock of tolerance and coexistence. Unfortunate recent events have highlighted the need for enhanced dialogue among faiths and civilizations. Violence cannot lead to greater understanding. It is necessary to uphold norms of peaceful international discourse. In particular, the safety and security of diplomatic personnel should be fully respected. Terrorism remains one of the most potent threats to international peace and security. The international community must adopt a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism and must focus on efforts to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism, including its invidious network of epicentres, training facilities and financing.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“India remains firmly committed to scaling up our development partnership with Africa, including through the framework of the India-Africa Forum Summit. Similarly, we will continue to build on our commitments for enhanced cooperation with least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States within the framework of South-South cooperation. India is a multireligious, multi-ethnic and multilingual society. Our civilizational ethos has been underpinned by peaceful coexistence and tolerance, values that the founder of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, placed at the core of India’s national life. Those principles are enshrined in our Constitution, which provides the foundation for our secular, democratic and inclusive society.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“It ought to be firmly entrenched in the understandings and principles of Rio+20 and be anchored in the intergovernmental process at the United Nations. Priority must be given to the challenges of poverty, unemployment, food and energy, water, health, environmental sustainability, unsustainable lifestyles and, above all, economic growth. Ensuring gender equality and women’s empowerment is essential to the pursuit of building inclusive societies. It is also an imperative for building strong and resilient economies. We are happy to support the efforts of the United Nations. We also need to pay particular attention to upgrading the skills of young people and to ensuring employment opportunities for them. Children and youth are our future. We need to invest in them to reap the demographic dividend to secure our future.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“In less than two weeks, in Hyderabad, we will host the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. We seek the support of parties to fashion an outcome that harmonizes strong biodiversity action with our basic development objectives. The process to develop a set of sustainable development goals has begun. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) must be integrated in the new framework so that the unmet development priorities continue to be the main focus. In the interim, with still three years to go to the MDG target date of 2015, it is imperative to ensure that all efforts to achieve the MDGs are made. In the global discourse on the post- 2015 development agenda, the focus ought to be on the word “development”.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Threats emanating from terrorism, maritime piracy, drug trafficking and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction continue to multiply. Those challenges demand that we work for solutions in a concerted and coordinated manner. That is the only path to success. At the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), the international community renewed its commitment to sustainable development and recognized poverty eradication as the greatest global challenge. To act on that, it unequivocally reaffirmed the sanctity of the Rio principles. India remains committed to addressing climate change through a comprehensive, equitable and balanced outcome based on the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“It is indeed a great privilege for me to be able to address the General Assembly. Let me begin by congratulating Mr. Vuk Jeremić on his election to the office of President of the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session. I assure him of our constructive support in his work over the coming year. We are assembled in New York at a time when we face multiple global challenges that transcend national boundaries. Developing countries are still to recover from the downturn in the global economy. Their quest for poverty eradication and sustainable development remains an uphill task. Food and energy security as well as health and education for their populations remain daunting challenges. The West Asia-North Africa region is seeing unprecedented sociopolitical upheaval. The question of Palestine remains unresolved.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“I would like to solemnly reaffirm our faith in the principles that underlie the United Nations, and in the United Nations system itself.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“We believe the international community needs to be steadfast in its engagement with Afghanistan to ensure the success of its reconstruction efforts and its emergence as a democratic, pluralistic and prosperous society. The continuing existence of safe havens and sanctuaries for terrorists beyond Afghanistan’s borders is the major impediment to the restoration of peace and security in Afghanistan. That should be a primary focus of the international community. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, said in 1948: 5 10-55396 “The fundamental principles on which the United Nations is based are right principles. We believe in those fundamental principles and want to help the Organization in following these principles.” The Government and the more than 1 billion people of India have stood by that commitment.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Credible and firm action by Pakistan against terrorist groups operating from its soil is in the interest of the region, as it is in Pakistan’s own interest. Pakistan cannot impart lessons to us on democracy and human rights. If, however, Pakistan were to live up to its commitment not to allow the use of territory under its control by terrorists acting against India, that would significantly help reduce the trust deficit that impedes the development of better bilateral relations between our two countries. We are neighbours, and as neighbours we have an obligation to work together. Afghanistan recently successfully concluded parliamentary elections.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“As a neighbour, we wish to provide succour and relief in a timely manner to the victims of that natural disaster. We are saddened by the loss of life and property that Pakistan has suffered as a result of the unprecedented floods. It is well known that many countries have deep- rooted concerns about the growth and consolidation of militancy and terrorism in Pakistan. We share those concerns, particularly because Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India, has been the target of such Pakistan-sponsored militancy and terrorism for many years now. Pakistan must fulfil its solemn commitment not to allow territory under its control to be used for terrorism directed against India.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“To defeat it, it is imperative for the global community to build on international cooperation and take concerted action against terrorists and their sponsors. There can be no justification for terrorism, just as there can be no good or bad terrorists. We urge Member States to display the necessary political will to finalize and adopt the comprehensive convention on international terrorism. Peace and stability in South Asia is one of our highest priorities. We are committed to good- neighbourly relations with all our neighbours, including Pakistan. In that spirit of solidarity with the people of Pakistan in their hour of need we pledged $25 million in aid, which is being channelled through the United Nations for flood relief efforts in that country.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“We call for an intensification of discussion and dialogue among Member States and the larger non-governmental community, so as to strengthen an international consensus that can be translated into concrete action to achieve nuclear disarmament. India remains committed to the negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament on a multilateral, non-discriminatory and internationally verifiable fissile material cut-off treaty that meets India’s national security interests. We hope that the Conference will be able to commence negotiations at an early date. We remain committed to a unilateral and voluntary moratorium on nuclear-explosives testing. Terrorism has emerged as one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“It is important that there be acceptance of equal sharing of the resource of the atmosphere for all human beings. India has an abiding commitment to achieve universal and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament within a specified time frame — a vision that was most eloquently articulated in the Assembly by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1988. More than two decades later, that goal still remains distant. Meanwhile, newer threats have emerged, including the danger of terrorists gaining access to weapons of mass destruction. India introduced a working paper on nuclear disarmament in 2006, which contained specific proposals that reflect the spirit and substance of the Rajiv Gandhi action plan.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“India believes that the G-20 — the premier forum for international economic 10-55396 4 cooperation — can help catalyse strong, balanced and sustainable growth for the benefit of everyone. As a country vulnerable to, and already suffering from, the impacts of climate change, India has an important stake in the success of ongoing international negotiations in that regard. There is no substitute to the United Nations-led process, with its inherent inclusiveness and transparency, to lead us to an ambitious and equitable outcome that respects the provisions and principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in particular the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“I wish to reiterate our strong commitment to UN Women and to its strengthening. We also need to ensure that the review of the Human Rights Council this year adds to the Council’s role as an effective, credible and premier United Nations mechanism dealing with human rights. My Government accords the highest priority to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. Our development challenges were exacerbated by the financial and economic crisis that started in 2008. Acting in concert, the Group of 20 (G-20), which includes the largest developed and developing countries, reacted promptly and purposefully to stem the global slowdown and send a strong message of confidence and stability.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“The overwhelming majority of the membership has been clear in seeking an expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories of membership. It is imperative that we bring the negotiations to an early and logical conclusion. We must also truly revitalize the General Assembly. It must reclaim its position on vital matters such as the appointment of the Secretary-General and the relationship between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions. Along with the Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly should also set the paradigms of multilateral engagement for the global economy and for development and developmental cooperation. It is matter of much satisfaction that this year we have significantly advanced the United Nations reform agenda in the areas of gender equality and women’s empowerment.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, maritime piracy, pandemics and epidemics, organized crime and narcotics smuggling recognize no borders or boundaries. Similarly, the fallout of intra-State conflicts, failed States, climate change, natural disasters, food shortages and financial and economic crises transcend countries and regions. Under those circumstances the international community looks to the United Nations to overcome the common challenges of humankind through the harmonized actions of nations, as stated in the Charter. The United Nations is the only organization that can be at the centre of an international governance system. However, it needs urgent reform to reflect contemporary realities and to effectively meet emerging global challenges. The first step has to be the reform of the Security Council.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Allow me to begin by congratulating you, Sir, on your election as President of the General Assembly and by assuring you of the full cooperation of my delegation. In the interest of saving the Assembly’s valuable time, I will read out only part of my address, the full text of which has been circulated. The United Nations was created, 65 years ago, to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, to affirm faith in fundamental rights, to establish conditions under which respect for international law can be maintained and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom. Six and a half decades later, globalization has made the world a much smaller place. It has also created conditions whereby the problems and challenges of one country or region can very quickly become those of the larger community of nations.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Speaking to this Assembly 41 years ago, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi said: “The United Nations is the trustee of the world’s peace and represents the hopes of mankind. Its very existence gives a feeling of assurance that the justice of true causes can be brought fearlessly before the world. This Assembly and the agencies of the United Nations should, in all that they do, sustain those hopes and promote the causes of peace.” (A/PV.1693, para. 150) The truth and conviction of these words are more meaningful today than ever before.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“There can be no justification whatsoever for such mindless terrorist acts. It is our collective responsibility and duty to work together to ensure that terrorists and the organizers, perpetrators and supporters of such crimes are brought to justice. In order to strengthen the international legal framework of the fight against terrorism, India has proposed a comprehensive convention on international 09-52592 30 terrorism. Discussions on the draft have gone on for far too long. It is time that the convention be finally adopted. India earnestly calls upon all countries to make serious efforts in the next few weeks to arrive at a consensus on the text. In conclusion, I wish to reiterate India’s steadfast commitment to the work of the United Nations.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Strengthening the normative basis for peacekeeping operations and giving major troop-contributing countries a greater say will serve to make peacekeeping more effective. Peace, security, stability and the welfare of our neighbourhood are vital for India. There is a new beginning in Sri Lanka; in Nepal, strengthening the peace process is in our collective interest; and in Afghanistan, the international community must remain intensively engaged and support its development efforts and the maintenance of peace and stability. India is committed to establishing good-neighbourly relations and resolving all outstanding issues with Pakistan through peaceful dialogue. The barbaric terrorist attack on the innocent people of Mumbai on 26 November 2008 reminded us of the daily and malignant menace that terrorism poses to all countries.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“It was in that spirit that we supported the adoption of a programme of work, including on a fissile material cut- off treaty (FMCT), at the Conference on Disarmament in May this year. It is consistent with India’s position to work with others at the Conference on Disarmament towards the conclusion of a non-discriminatory, multilaterally negotiated and internationally verifiable FMCT, provided it corresponds with India’s national security interests. We remain committed to a voluntary, unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing. India stands committed to the safeguarding of international peace and security. Over the past five decades, we have contributed more than 100,000 peacekeepers and have suffered a high number of casualties during this time.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Last year, at the sixty-third session of the General Assembly, consistent with India’s long-standing commitment as articulated in the Rajiv Gandhi Action Plan in 1988, India reiterated its proposal that a nuclear weapons convention be convened to ban the production, development, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons and to provide for their complete elimination within a time frame. The international nuclear order cannot be discriminatory. Further, States must fulfil the obligations that they have undertaken. Once more, with feeling and with commitment, India reiterates that proposal. We will continue to engage with key countries to intensify this debate in the hope that greater international understanding will lend itself to a firm commitment to action on nuclear disarmament.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“The Prime Minister’s Council has approved national missions for enhanced energy efficiency and solar energy, setting ambitious goals. We are supporting and facilitating major research to assess various aspects related to climate change. India attaches the highest priority to the goal of nuclear disarmament and has an impeccable non-proliferation record. We welcome the renewed global debate on achieving a world free of nuclear weapons. That corresponds with India’s long-standing and consistent advocacy of nuclear disarmament as one of the highest priorities of the international community. We have put forward a number of proposals on nuclear disarmament at the United Nations, including a working paper in 2006 proposing elements to fashion a new consensus on disarmament and non-proliferation.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“India is aware that the continuing volatility in the fossil-fuel markets, together with the threat of climate change, makes the development of all renewable and clean energy sources — including nuclear energy — crucial. In that context, international civil-nuclear cooperation is important. India has also taken several independent initiatives to address the issue of climate change. We have put in place a comprehensive policy and legislative framework, as well as a national action plan on climate change with eight separate national missions. An unprecedented afforestation campaign has been launched with a doubling of the forestry budget this year to $1.3 billion, and this increase is going to be sustained every year.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Developing countries must be supported financially, technologically and with capacity-building 29 09-52592 resources so that they can cope with the immense challenges of adaptation. Special efforts are required to develop programmes that address the critical needs of small island States and of the most vulnerable countries. Poverty alleviation and livelihood security are central imperatives for India. To that end, accelerated economic growth and energy security are critical drivers. In pursuing our development goals, India has been successful in significantly reducing its energy intensity. India will continue to pursue that path.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“India will work for an outcome that recognizes the development imperatives of developing countries and is rooted in the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. We also must move away from concentrating on mitigation only and ensure that there is a focus on adaptation, which is critical for developing countries. We are hosting a high-level global conference on “Climate Change: Technology Development and Transfer” on 22 and 23 October 2009, in cooperation with the United Nations. The objective of the conference is to help formulate a road map for technology in the context of climate change mitigation and adaptation to support the UNFCCC process.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Ongoing intergovernmental negotiations during the past six months have unambiguously established that an overwhelming majority of Member States share the perspective that an expansion in both categories of Security Council membership is needed. Climate change is one of the most important global challenges that we face today. Developing countries bear a disproportionate share of its adverse effects, even though they are not responsible for it. Cognizant of the serious threat that climate change poses, India is engaged in the ongoing negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), including at the upcoming Copenhagen Conference.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“We should not let slowness of action weaken the Organization in the face of such challenges. Rather, we must work in concert to make it more robust and capable of effective response. Reform in the three essentials of the Charter — peace and security, development and human rights — requires our collective attention. The General Assembly must be revitalized in full measure, and its role as the anvil of global deliberation must be strengthened. The Economic and Social Council must become the fulcrum of development. It must be accepted that the Security Council must be strengthened and made more representative by expanding its permanent and non-permanent membership.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“This Organization is a platform on which the world meets to express views and undertake commitments on global issues of mutual concern on an equal footing. It is no wonder, then, that the Charter of the United Nations begins with the inspiring words “We the peoples of the United Nations”. Inclusiveness and collective action in all aspects of the work of the Organization are at the heart of its Charter. This vision must be our lodestar, the guiding principle of all we undertake. India is committed to working with Member States to make the United Nations more relevant and attuned to contemporary realities. Reforming the United Nations is a matter of the highest priority. Four years after the 2005 World Summit, there has not been much progress even as newer and more global crises and problems have emerged.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Policies of protectionism under such already adverse circumstances will exacerbate the serious situation that many countries face. It is imperative that the United Nations act in concert to coherently overcome these challenges. India, which is actively engaged in the Group of 20 and other processes, has always stressed that developing countries must receive priority in any global response to the crisis. The United Nations Conference on the Financial and Economic Crisis held in June was opportune and provided a useful platform for collectively seeking ways and means to respond to the crisis. We now look forward to early implementation during the course of this General Assembly of the follow-up measures agreed on at the Conference. At the centre stage of multilateralism and international cooperation is the United Nations.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“The international response to this challenge must consist not only of the measures that have been taken to stimulate economies, but also, more importantly, of finding ways to restructure the current international governance system, which has failed to respond to the virulence of the financial and economic crisis. To gloss over this structural deficit of the current global financial and economic architecture would imperil the future of a vast majority of the peoples of this world and presage greater difficulties in the future. In the face of the current economic and financial crisis, hard-won gains in alleviating poverty, hunger, illiteracy and disease are being reversed. The achievements of the Millennium Development Goals are seriously threatened.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“The reform and restructuring of the global governance architecture are the critical needs of our times, and the voices of the developing world, including those of the small island nations and Africa, are of principal and core relevance if we are to have truly participatory and global responses to global challenges. 09-52592 28 One need not look very far to identify these challenges. The current economic and financial turmoil, which did not begin in the developing world, has affected developing countries the most. Growth has slowed, with recession overtaking many countries.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“In the context of these rapidly emerging changes and their deep and diverse effects, we must consider more deeply whether the United Nations and other global governance structures are geared to effectively meeting the challenges that confront us all. It is of concern that, even after more than six decades of existence, our international governance structures are neither inclusive nor participatory. Consequently, these structures and institutions have not kept pace or evolved with the changed nature, intensity and depth of contemporary global issues. The question is therefore: Are these institutions able to address these challenges adequately or satisfactorily?”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“I offer my congratulations to Mr. Treki on his assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session. My delegation assures him of our fullest cooperation during his stewardship of this Assembly, which embodies the hopes, aspirations and shared vision of peace and development of all the peoples of our planet. When this session of the General Assembly ends next year, the United Nations will have completed 65 years of existence. These past decades have seen the world change in fundamental ways. Connectivity defines our global condition, and the challenges that we collectively face are truly global. The resolution of these challenges, as we are aware, requires global approaches and solutions. What may happen in one part of the world has an impact on other regions.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)