YouSaid · the spoken record

Maia Sandu

lines on the record: 31
first: 2021-09-24
most recent: 2023-09-24
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

“When one thrives, it inspires hope in others; when one falters, it threatens to unleash a domino effect. Today the fight for democracy anywhere is a fight for democracy everywhere, and in this interlinked fight for democracy we will prevail.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“The enlargement of the European Union is the sole path to ensuring that our neighbourhood stays anchored in the free world and that we deliver better lives for our citizens. It will also demonstrate the European Union’s commitment to peace — the very reason the European Union was built. When it comes to membership, we believe in a fair and merit-driven process, and we have been doing our homework diligently. With that in mind. I call on the European Commission and all European Union members to support us. I extend this call beyond European Union borders to all the countries of the free world, especially those with well-established, robust democracies that have long reaped its benefits and understand its worth. The success or downfall of one democracy resonates globally.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“However, our commitment extends globally: Moldovan servicemen actively contribute to peacekeeping missions, including most recently in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. Underscoring our commitment to the security of our continent, we hosted the European Political Community summit in June — a summit that further cemented our place in the European family. Achieving economic progress, improving security and reinforcing our democracy are part of our journey towards membership in the European Union. Moldova’s European aspirations have long been well known. In May. 100.000 Moldovans rallied in Chisinau to reassert their commitment to democracy — and to European Union membership. Let me be clear: Moldova’s European Union membership is not just a political choice; it is the only way to protect our liberty, peace and democracy.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Greater resilience will also come about through enhanced transport links with Europe, which are vitally important given Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports and the disruption of trade routes. We are upgrading roads and railways, and that modernized infrastructure will not only boost our trade and create jobs but also support solidarity lanes for Ukraine, ensuring that its grain reaches the regions where it is needed most, and one day those very connections will aid Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction. As we build up defences and resilience. Moldova is increasingly recognized as a contributor to regional security, a strong neighbour to Ukraine and a partner of the European Union in countering security challenges.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“A major ratings agency has upgraded our outlook to stable. We are comprehensively reforming the justice system and redoubling our efforts to defeat corruption and organized crime. Part of that effort involves reducing the malign influence of fugitive oligarchs who at one time held our State hostage. I am grateful to many in this Hall for imposing sanctions on those individuals. The next critical step in that journey is to ensure that the stolen money is returned to the Moldovan people. As evidence of our commitment, on corruption perceptions, as measured by Transparency International, we improved by 24 places in the past two years, our best score in a decade. On the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index, we have climbed 14 places since 2020.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Our friends and partners — the entire free world — stand with us. Building resilience means that Moldova has moved from relying solely on Russian gas to having a mix of energy sources and backup storage. We are also building electricity lines to Europe, investing in energy efficiency and pursuing renewable sources. The true measure of a democracy’s success is its capacity to deliver a better life and real economic benefits to its citizens. Strengthening our economy as the war rages across the border is a daunting challenge, but we are determined. Small and medium-sized enterprises can now access funds to grow, digital public services are helping to cut red tape and the European Union market is open to exports of our fruit and vegetables. Inflation is down to 10 per cent, from a peak of 35 per cent last October.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Many countries in Europe and beyond our continent are feeling the sting of foreign interference in their democratic processes. That hybrid assault is conducted by those who oppose not just our democracy but all liberal democracies. We must stay vigilant, and we must stand united. Against all odds, we have preserved peace across all of Moldova, including in the breakaway Transnistrian region, where Russian troops are stationed illegally and where concerns about human rights violations are deeply worrisome. Our commitment to a peaceful resolution remains steadfast, and I call here today for the unconditional withdrawal of those Russian forces. In the light of intertwined challenges, building Moldova’s resilience has not been an easy task. Yet we take heart in the fact that Moldova is not alone.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“But countries like mine have not broken free from imperial chains only to be brought back into servitude. We push forward. Unlike our Ukrainian friends and neighbours, we are not facing an imminent military threat, but every day we are countering Russia’s hybrid assault. Russia has teamed up with corrupt crooks to destabilize us. Their hybrid toolbox includes energy blackmail, support for separatism, cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. They also tried to overthrow our democratically elected Government, but each time they have failed. We know they will try again. In soon-to-be-held elections, they will attempt to undermine our citizens’ ability to make their own democratic choices. That threat is not unique to us.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“It is with great pride that I stand once more before the General Assembly of the United Nations to represent the Republic of Moldova — a country on the front line of the fight for democracy. Mr. Milambo (Zambia), Vice-President, took the Chair. Today Moldova stands stronger and more resilient than one year ago. We stand firm in our belief in a democratic future. And we stand firm with Ukraine as our neighbour continues to resist Russia’s brutal invasion — an attack on its sovereignty and way of life. We stand firmly for Ukraine’s victory because when Ukraine wins the free world wins. Now more than ever, support for Ukraine must not diminish. Please continue supporting Ukraine. Ukraine. Moldova. Europe and the free world are facing an external assault on our values.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“As I come before the Assembly from a region weakened by war, an energy crisis, drought and rampant inflation, my message is this. In the face of human- made suffering and economic adversity, the countries of the world must stand together once again. We must do so to reaffirm the value of peace and the inviolability of human life, to defend democracy and freedom and to uphold the right of every country to decide its own fate.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Justice reform and the fight against corruption are at the core of our transformation. We are working hard to become a better place for investors to create jobs, boost the economy and bring greater prosperity to our people. We are investing in connectivity with Europe, and we are trying to bring our country closer to European standards. We are building roads and bridges, hospitals and a more modern education system. We are building stronger institutions that will benefit the citizens of Moldova. We are focused, persistent and relentless. We are determined to bring Moldova into the EU so that every Moldovan can have better living standards and more economic opportunities at home. That is the only way for Moldova to grow as a consolidated democracy in our part of the world during these difficult times.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We all know that the only way to save the planet is through joint global action against climate change. The same goes for the fight against corruption. Corruption weakens States and erodes democracies. We should take it more seriously than we have ever done. We need clear international mechanisms to stop the flow of dirty money. We need better instruments for asset recovery and restitution. We need better information exchanges between law-enforcement and anti-fraud authorities in other countries. And we need to set up international sanctions regimes against corruption. Despite all the challenges, Moldova is pressing ahead with its reform agenda. We are building a stronger and more democratic State. Last year, Moldova moved up 49 positions in the press freedom index, ranking fortieth in the world.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Our resources are strained, investments have slowed down, trade and transport routes have been disrupted and inflation is nearing 35 per cent. In addition, we are facing a wide spectrum of hybrid threats, from disinformation and propaganda to cyberattacks and energy pressures. The abnormally high prices for natural gas and Russia’s attempts to weaponize gas and oil supplies to Europe have triggered an unprecedented energy crisis. We are one of the most vulnerable countries in the face of this crisis. But that only makes us more determined to diversify our energy sources and decrease dependence on fossil fuels. We plan to increase the share of renewable electricity supplies from 3 to 30 per cent in the next three years. That will make our country stronger and our environment healthier and safer.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“As Russia has launched its war against Ukraine, we have worked harder than ever to maintain peace on both banks of the Dniester River. We have done our best to ensure that all citizens of Moldova, including those residing in the breakaway region, continue to enjoy peace. The illegal presence of the Russian military troops in the Transnistrian region infringes upon our neutrality and increases the security risks for our country. We call for the complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops. We call for the destruction of ammunition from the Cobasna stockpiles, which pose a security and environmental threat to the region as a whole. As we strive to maintain peace, our economy and society are bearing the brunt of Russia’s war against Ukraine.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“I am also grateful to our international partners, including the United Nations, that have provided assistance in managing the humanitarian crisis. I also thank the Secretary-General and other high-level officials who visited our country in our hour of need in order to show support and solidarity. My deep gratitude goes to France, Germany, Romania and other partners for setting up the Moldova Support Platform, which stands by our country in these difficult times. Moldova knows what it is to be a country divided by conflict. In 1992, we faced a brief but tragic war in the Transnistrian region of our country. Three decades later, we are still trying to overcome the consequences of that conflict and reintegrate our country. The only way to achieve that is through peaceful dialogue and respect for our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“As I stand at this rostrum, I represent a country that wants peace. I represent the citizens of Moldova, who, irrespective of the language that we speak — Romanian, Ukrainian, Russian, Gagauz or Bulgarian — and regardless of our ethnicity or political preferences, whether we live on the right bank of the Dniester River or in the breakaway region of Transnistria, we all want peace. We are a country of fewer than 3 million people, but we have sheltered more than half a million refugees fleeing the war. At the peak of the inflow, our population grew by 4 per cent. Some 80,000 refugees chose to stay among us. I take this opportunity to pay tribute from this high rostrum to all Moldovan families who showed unprecedented solidarity with refugees by opening their homes and hearts to those in need. I am proud of my people.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“It is an attack on food supplies to countries in the Middle East and Africa. It is an attack on this very institution where we find ourselves in today. We firmly condemn the war against Ukraine, as well as the recently announced additional mobilization of troops by Russia. We firmly stand with Ukraine and support its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. I would like to express my utmost admiration to all Ukrainians for their courage, resilience and inner power to continue this fight for survival, justice and freedom. It is our moral duty, as an international community, to continue supporting Ukraine. Ukraine is fighting today to keep all of us safe, to keep Europe safe. It needs our support. All of us in Europe must help Ukraine.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The EU candidate status gives us hope, a clear sense of direction, a unifying goal, an anchor and a strong sense of belonging to the free world. One year ago, none of us here would have imagined a major war in Europe. Russia’s unprovoked war against another sovereign State, Ukraine, has shaken the world to the core, put to the test the fundamental principles of the United Nations, shattered global security and triggered a European energy crisis, global food shortages and an economic downturn. Seven months of bombings have killed thousands of innocent people and pushed millions of Ukrainians to flee their homes. This war is not just an attack on our neighbour and friend Ukraine. It is an attack on the rules-based international order. It is an attack on nuclear safety.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“I stand before the General Assembly today proudly representing the Republic of Moldova, a future member of the European Union (EU). I am grateful for the unanimous support that we received from the 27 EU member States. I thank them for their recognition and vote of trust in our love for freedom, our dynamic democracy and our commitment to the rule of law. A successful peace project, the European Union — through cooperation and integration — was forged to stop the cycle of wars that tormented our continent for centuries. This is another watershed moment in our history, and the EU has to do it again. By applying to join the European Union, we want the world to know that we are choosing democracy over autocracy, liberty over oppression, peace over war and prosperity over poverty.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The global challenges that I referred to bring us closer than ever. Their complexity can be overcome only through collective efforts in search of sustainable solutions. Such solutions are easier to find in today’s world because we have at our disposal not only great minds but also the necessary tools. We salute the report of the Secretary-General, entitled Our Common Agenda, as a forward-looking blueprint for enhanced global cooperation to effectively address our common challenges. Only through solidarity and closer international cooperation will we — the States Members of the United Nations — be able to overcome current and emerging challenges and attain the vision of a world where people live in peace and prosperity in harmony with nature.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We are reforming the justice sector. We are launching a significant infrastructure build-up. We are working on connecting Moldova to the rest of Europe through bridges, improved railways and electricity and gas interconnectors. We are part of free-trade areas both with the EU and our neighbours to the East. We can provide excellent business opportunities to both. We have a highly educated and hard-working population. We are becoming a good place for investment. We have ambitious plans for the digitalization of the economy and the public sector. Protecting the environment is a central part of our reform process. Only a year ago, these were just hopes. Today we are starting to transform those hopes into reality. We come from different places and have different national agendas, but our lives are interlinked.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We need to join efforts to combat money-laundering and investigate illicit financial flows. We need to make better use of asset-seizure tools and work together to suppress organized crime. The magnitude of the challenge is so extensive that we need the serious involvement of all international and national actors. We need an effective collective response in order to safeguard democracy. Together we can propose better and more sustainable solutions to global challenges. They should be citizen- oriented first and foremost. In last year’s elections, the citizens of Moldova said clearly that our country can do better. Despite multiple setbacks, our people continue to fight tirelessly for our young democracy and our European future. With a strong mandate for change, we are beginning to clean up the corruption in the State.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Crooks used us as a transit country to launder money through our institutions before depositing it abroad. We have managed to get rid of those corrupt regimes, and our main task now is to strengthen our justice and law-enforcement systems. We are committed to doing so, but fixing one end of the problem does not make the problem disappear. A system in which criminals extract wealth and assets from countries with weak institutions, store the capital in offshore accounts and then find safe haven in other countries is both unsustainable and unfair. Designing international rules for asset recovery could bring more fairness to the global stage and justice for weaker States. As an international community, we need to design, apply and rigorously monitor systems to promote international transparency and accountability.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“While new social-media platforms have been an important tool for mobilizing and spreading democratic practices in many regions of the world, they are also enhancing disinformation, which, in worst-case scenarios, may seriously disrupt key democratic processes such as elections. We need to maintain a global conversation and to look jointly for concrete solutions to the dangers that disinformation poses to the rules-based international order. Another factor that erodes democracy is corruption, which undermines people’s trust in their States. While no country is exempt from it, corruption disproportionately affects poor States. It makes the State and its institutions weaker, more vulnerable and less stable. In the recent past, corruption turned Moldova into a captured State. It became a threat to democracy and our national security.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We are counting on the support of the international community in that endeavour. The erosion of democracy and the declining trust in the State that it produces is another important global challenge that I would like to address. It is particularly relevant for my country. Democracy remains our universal ideal and a core value for our State. Rebuilding citizens’ trust in public institutions, cleaning up the influence of vested interests in the State and delivering decent public services is the cornerstone of Moldova’s further democratic progress and modernization. Democracy is being threatened by several factors, one of which is the spread of disinformation.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We remain firmly committed to identifying a peaceful, political solution to the conflict in the Transnistrian region of our country, based on Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We will also continue to promote confidence-building measures with a strong emphasis on protecting fundamental rights and freedoms in the Transnistrian region, which is a pressing issue for my country. In the spirit of Moldova’s constitutional neutrality and of international law, I would like to reiterate that our position on the complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian forces remains unchanged. That includes the removal or destruction of ammunition from the Cobasna stockpiles, which pose a security and environmental threat to the region as a whole.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“The Republic of Moldova’s footprint in terms of climate change has been slight, and we are committed to keeping it that way. As we seek to modernize our economy, we pledge to do so sustainably. Expanding our forests, transitioning to a green and circular economy, promoting clean energy, preserving water and land resources and promoting responsible and sustainable production and consumption is our way forward. Thirdly, in the area of international security, we see increasing numbers of crises arising in many parts of the planet. In our interdependent world, their aftershocks can be felt across the globe. With regard to our own region, we are seriously concerned about the deteriorating security situation in the Black Sea area. In that regard, I would like to stress once again that the Republic of Moldova is a State committed to peace.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the European Union (EU), its States members, the World Health Organization, the entire United Nations family and all our friends and partners for their continued help in fighting the pandemic worldwide. As more countries gain access to vaccines, our greatest task ahead is to promote immunization, relaunch our economies and reopen our societies. That can be achieved only through collective effort. Secondly, with regard to climate change, another major challenge that we are all facing, we are living through its consequences as we speak. Extreme weather, record high temperatures and floods are affecting every country. For the Republic of Moldova, climate change means severe droughts every few years, along with floods and ruined crops and livelihoods.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Let me go through the four challenges one by one. First, there is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has been our generation’s biggest challenge to date. Like most other States, the Republic of Moldova has been hit hard, but our own experience in dealing with the crisis has been filled with hope and gratitude — gratitude for the tremendous global endeavour of solidarity that supported my country’s work to contain the virus, and hope that solidarity can make us all more resilient. Thanks to our external partners, my fellow citizens were able to start the vaccination process as early as March. We now have a sufficient supply of vaccines for all our citizens. Our health-care system has received significant international support.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Most of today’s global challenges spill over national borders, since our world is more interconnected than ever before. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, climate change, growing international security issues and the fragility of the international rules-based order all require joint efforts in the quest for sustainable solutions. These problems cannot be solved alone. We need genuine, concerted international efforts to provide truly sustainable solutions for our future. My country is experiencing some of those challenges firsthand, and I have come before the General Assembly today to convey our willingness and readiness to work with United Nations institutions and the international community to find sustainable solutions to the challenges that are affecting us both collectively and individually.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“A few weeks ago, my country, the Republic of Moldova, celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of its independence. I want to take this opportunity to once again congratulate my fellow citizens on this important milestone for us. Together, we chose democracy and freedom over corruption and State capture. It is my great honour today to address this high-level United Nations meeting on their behalf. There are some who claim that multilateralism is no longer relevant in this day and age and that we can no longer work together efficiently to counter global challenges because we are compelled to look inward as a result of our own overwhelming domestic problems. Our world, however, faces extraordinary challenges in both magnitude and kind that in my view we can only solve together.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)