YouSaid · the spoken record

Milo Đukanović

lines on the record: 37
first: 2019-09-24
most recent: 2021-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
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

“In spite of our many challenges, Montenegro remains determined to defend civic, inclusive, multi-ethnic and European democracy and to be proof that multi-ethnic democracy is possible in the Balkans and is the only true guarantee of prosperity. Montenegro will remain loyal to those policies and strongly committed to the values of multilateralism, open and friendly cooperation, further democratic consolidation and the strengthening of the rule of law. Among other things, that will help to strengthen our partnership with the Organization.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“However, our determination to fight those retrograde and dangerous ideas has not wavered and therefore today, from this rostrum, Montenegro is warning of the renewed danger that the Western Balkans may be destabilized and its European prospects reduced. Montenegro has continued to work to build a better future for its citizens based on equality and non-discrimination. We have built relations of trust and cooperation with all of our neighbours. As the most senior officials of our host country used to say, Montenegro was an oasis of peace in the Balkans in the war years of the 1990s. As a contributor to regional security, we joined NATO and have become a leader in the process of European integration.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“That confusion not only hinders and further slows the development of this European region, it also opens the door to a revival of destructive theories that claim that because it is lagging behind, this region cannot survive as a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional community and its States cannot be functional. This manufactured thesis is aimed at Bosnia and Herzegovina in particular, but also at smaller countries in the region. The motive for it is to make a case for restoring the greater-State nationalistic projects that in the 1990s led to war in the Western Balkans and almost 150,000 deaths.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“That path has not been easy, particularly in the Balkans, which is burdened by its past and continues to be a place where conflicting influences clash and geostrategic interests compete. That is still a concern for various international actors, but it does not always bring needed or timely attention. The challenges and threats to multi-ethnic democracy in the Balkans have not lessened. The Western Balkans are once again a battlefield for conflicting geopolitical interests, resulting in a slowdown in the integration of Western Balkan societies into their natural European setting, undermining people’s trust in and adoption of European values.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“That is why it is exceptionally important to integrate the components of action that will be based on human rights both when new climate goals are set and when a new global biodiversity framework is defined. This year Montenegro celebrated the fifteenth anniversary of the restoration of its independence and the moment when the Montenegrin flag was hoisted for the first time above New York’s East River. We have walked a demanding path since our admission to the United Nations family — which was the broadest recognition of our restored independence — from our positioning on the main concourse of the United Nations and with our key foreign-policy partners, to the visibility, recognition and affirmation that we have today and that greatly exceed our country’s physical size.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“That is why it is particularly important that in preparing for the World Climate Summit and Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Glasgow in November this year, all countries mobilize an additional level of ambition in achieving their long-term goals for reducing global warming. Although Montenegro’s share of global emissions is tiny, in December 2020 we increased our climate goals, thereby affirming our strong and constant commitment to tackling climate challenges adequately. We expect that further activities at the national level will enable us to make new and more ambitious breakthroughs.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“As a United Nations member, we find it difficult to understand and accept any approach other than one of solidarity and support for the most vulnerable. We are witnessing a growing climate and environmental crisis. The High Commissioner for Human Rights recently presented very worrying findings in Geneva about the global human rights situation in the context of environmental issues, saying that climate change, pollution and loss of biodiversity will together constitute by far the most serious challenge to human rights in our era. She clearly acknowledged human activity as one factor and a lack of appropriate action as another. The full implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Climate Agreement are crucial to better recovery from the pandemic and to global preparation against future systemic shocks.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“It is in that light that we should also consider the obvious deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation, as we prepare for a potentially new and greater wave of migrants that will undoubtedly have regional and global repercussions. We call for a global response to the refugee and migrant crisis. We must share responsibility in that regard, as we envisaged in the global agreements we adopted on refugees and migrants. We must cooperate in finding solutions and provide help both to countries of destination and countries of origin. Montenegro is the only one of the republics of the former Yugoslavia that did not have to deal with war on its territory during the conflicts of the 1990s. At the time we took in more than 100,000 refugees and displaced persons, more than 20 per cent of our entire population.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Montenegro will also continue to work on integrating a human rights and gender perspective into every aspect of United Nations work, defending the universality of international human rights law and the independence of the human rights system. As a candidate with a realistic chance of becoming a member of the Human Rights Council, we will advocate for streamlined agendas and better synergy between Geneva and New York. That is the only way to ensure that we will have opportunities to react in a timely fashion and prevent the mass violations that have repeatedly shocked the world public. Until we do that, we will keep reacting post facto almost as a rule, and therefore spending our resources mainly on de-escalating and dealing with humanitarian crises instead of on managing and preventing them.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We remain determined to contribute, within our capacities, to the preservation and enhancement of international peace and security and to extend our participation in United Nations humanitarian and peacekeeping missions. Thanks to the obvious deterioration of the overall international security atmosphere, the modernization of weapon systems and the collapse of some of the most important strategic instruments in this area, the international architecture for disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control is under significant pressure. That is an issue that Montenegro, as a responsible member of the United Nations and NATO, wants to draw attention to. Support for implementing, strengthening and further developing multilateral agreements in the field of disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control should be an imperative for us all.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Montenegro will continue to support efforts to implement the reform agenda within the development and managerial structures, as well as in bodies working to preserve peace and stability and implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We are convinced that we can make the Organization’s functioning more efficient and flexible only through such essential reorganization efforts. In its support to the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping initiative, Montenegro has again demonstrated its political commitment to the mandates of peace operations and their effective action, particularly regarding the protection of civilians.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We should not strive for a peace that is nothing more than the absence of war, and we should not strive for development merely for the sake of profit. We should strive for peace and progress built on achieving the highest democratic standards and quality of life for all, and for current and future generations alike. The process of strengthening the multilateral approach should happen alongside our work on strengthening cooperation in the digital arena, particularly now when we are witnessing the influence of technology on the post-crisis recovery and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We, the leaders and our citizens, have a unique opportunity to use the current crisis as momentum for building a greener, more just and more sustainable world. That mission will require effective and strengthened multilateralism, a retreat from rhetoric and greater space for action. To overcome existing geostrategic divisions and dysfunctional international relations we will need a new world view within our States and a renewed global agreement between them. Our post-pandemic recovery and revitalized multilateralism must be based on fair globalization, respect for human rights and the dignity of all, environmental protection and a responsible attitude to nature, and results that are measured by humane parameters, not just economic ones.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We can either choose further isolationism and erosion of trust, tolerating growing xenophobia, nationalism and right-wing ideas, ignoring the alarming warnings about the state of the environment and silently accepting increased inequality in every arena, or we can make a breakthrough, aimed at achieving a more secure and better future for all, by taking the path of Our Common Agenda — for people, for the planet, for prosperity and for peace, as Secretary-General Guterres has said. It means choosing a future based on the highest values of equality, justice, responsibility and solidarity, not on retrograde ideologies, selfishness and cheap populism. Surely we cannot consider that we face a dilemma in choosing between those options.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“The COVID-19 pandemic is the most serious crisis the world has seen since this global Organization was established. However, with a mature and responsible approach, we can learn lessons from every crisis. The lesson this time is a loud warning about how important it is to stand together and ensure international solidarity in seeking global solutions. It seems that the world is at a crossroads.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“The theme of this year’s debate refers to the generally accepted opinion that an understanding and adequate treatment of the multidimensional consequences of the pandemic, aimed at building a sustainable future, will be a major factor in the future actions and behaviour of States and other international actors. It is clear that reinvigorated multilateralism and revitalization of the United Nations are desperately needed. One step towards that goal, which we warmly welcome, is the Secretary-General’s initiative responding to the health emergencies and social and economic consequences of the pandemic by establishing the United Nations COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund and the Global Humanitarian Response Plan for COVID-19. Our response must be united and equally accessible.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“But to our common misfortune, the world has lately witnessed a crisis of leadership whose consequences can be seen in almost all areas of global relations. Fragmentation and national approaches are still dominant factors in the behaviour of key international stakeholders. Rather than uniting in joint concrete action, we more often share only our joint concerns. A path focused on clear vision and commitment, quality and continuity, efficiency and effectiveness, cooperation and solidarity, determination and responsibility is the only road to dealing with our growing global problems, from the pandemic and climate change to famine, migrations, human rights violations and humanitarian crises. Member States will always have an open and reliable partner in Montenegro on that path.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“In providing desperately needed medical and humanitarian aid, as well as significant support in dealing with the serious economic consequences of the pandemic, the activities of the United Nations have unquestionably demonstrated their important role in the modern world. Today it is clearer than ever that we can respond successfully to global challenges only if we act on a global level, with the concerted and coordinated action of all of us. And it is the United Nations that must be at the core of that action. Enormous problems and crises — and they are unfortunately increasingly numerous — require strong leadership. Without it the world cannot provide what our citizens expect and are entitled to.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“It is a great honour for me to address the Assembly on behalf of Montenegro and to reaffirm our determined commitment to the principles and tenets of the Charter of the United Nations and the mission and goals of this global Organization. It is also a great pleasure to be in this great Hall once again with everyone here, despite the risks and fears caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Our presence here shows our strong determination to affirm that multilateralism is still alive. I would like to thank the Secretariat and the host country’s services for the enormous effort they have invested to ensure that the general debate is not only a demonstration of hope and belief that the world will deal with the pandemic but also a secure and safe event for all participants.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We believe that we can be reliable on the global level and act as a strong member of the international community only if we are responsible to ourselves and act as a credible partner in the region. In that regard, Montenegro will continue to provide an active contribution to the achievement of the goals of the United Nations.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Montenegro is, above all, a good and responsible neighbour whose role is recognized as an important factor for regional stability in the Western Balkans, and whose secure future is possible only through its full integration into the European Union. A United Europe is a precondition for the security and global competitiveness of Europe. Our national and foreign policy priorities consist of the development and strengthening of a legally efficient, institutionally strong and economically sustainable State that is based on democratic principles, the respect for human rights and freedoms and preservation of cultural, ethnic and religious diversity. We aim to implement those priorities with clear vision, determination and consistency. That is what we are recognized for.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“As a country that started using the Delivering as One integrated cooperation model in 2009 and is directly experiencing its benefits, we support the processes initiated by the Secretary-General to reform the Secretariat and the entire system, Only through the full implementation of the required steps for reform, an integrated and coherent approach and sustainable financing can the work of our global Organization be more efficient and effective. Preconditions for a successful United Nations lie in flexibility, understanding and respecting the needs of all countries. We should work further on them. Montenegro today is a multi-ethnic democracy with dynamic economic development, a member of NATO and far advanced in the negotiations for European Union membership.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Improving and supporting the integration of human rights and gender perspective in all aspects of the United Nations work and preserving the universal nature and independence of the human rights system remain our absolute priorities. We will continue to provide particularly strong support for the efforts towards preventing sexual violence and abuse, as one of the cruellest forms of violation of rights and denial of freedom and dignity, as well as to the implementation of both the women and peace and security agenda, and the youth, peace and security agenda. Our vision of the future and humankind relies on a strong and efficient Organization that is up to the challenges of the new era and is capable of adapting to new realities.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“At a time when the universal nature of human rights is being questioned and we are faced with exhausting discussions about the relationship between human rights, development and the responsibility of the State to protect the rights of its citizens, Montenegro remains permanently committed to democratic values and the rule of law and to the fight against impunity for violations and abuses of human rights. We strongly believe that equality and non-discrimination are values that we can never take for granted. They require permanent attention, struggle and willingness to respond to the challenges brought forth by those who attack or jeopardize them in any way. We are alarmed by the increase of intolerance, xenophobia, racial and religious intolerance, hate speech and anti-Semitism.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Any spillover of conflicts, particularly in the Middle East, would contribute to the development of humanitarian and security crises that would have an impact on the wider region and global relations, becoming the source of additional insecurity and unpredictable consequences. Montenegro is firmly committed and determined to make an active and constructive contribution and support collective efforts to preserve international peace and security. We will continue to provide strong support for global efforts to control arms, disarmament and non-proliferation, and especially for the Secretary General’s disarmament agenda. At the same time, Montenegro will continue its active participation in United Nations, EU and NATO-led peacekeeping operations, remaining aware that only a safe neighbourhood can guarantee our security and prosperity.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Intensification of tensions and renewal of rhetoric from the Cold War-era, cruel civic and regional conflicts, an increase in the activities of armed non-State actors, an increase in spending on arms, as well as the use of hybrid warfare instruments, all call for exceptional caution, an urgent return to dialogue and restoration of trust among key international relations stakeholders. The abandonment of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty has put us before a situation where we have to face a security issue that requires the establishment of a strategic dialogue. The world without the INF calls for taking responsibility, not avoiding it. The uncertainty regarding the preservation and full implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear programme raises additional serious concerns.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Prevention of conflicts and a focus on concerted efforts are particularly important for a sustainable peace agenda. In that regard, we should not neglect the importance of synergy between the Security Council and the General Assembly and the important prevention capacity of the Human Rights Council. As an active participant in the work of the Human Rights Council, we are fully aware of its achievements and its contribution to the system for early warning and prevention of violence and mass atrocities. Unfortunately, we can see that these mechanisms are not used in the proper way and that we keep repeating, or risk repeating, dangerous mistakes from the not-so- distant past.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“This has resulted in our NATO membership and the ongoing process of integrating into the European Union (EU). Although we have recorded significant progress in achieving the global goals, we need further efforts to reduce the risk of poverty in a more dramatic way and to eliminate disparities in regional development. We are aware that the basis for the improvement of human rights lies in reducing inequalities. As a new member of the Economic and Social Council, Montenegro will commit to working on accelerating the comprehensive implementation of the key multilateral development treaties. An increasing number of conflicts and growing threats to international peace and security demand changes in present global practices and require a holistic and coordinated prevention-based approach within the United Nations system.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Implementing the SDGs has to be based on the integrative nature of sustainable development policy. At the same time, an objective analysis of the achievements is equally important, both in national and global contexts. Within the constraints of its own capacities, Montenegro will continue providing maximum support for the transformation of development based on accelerating the implementation of the SDGs and their targets with a view to achieving continuous, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, protecting natural resources, improving human resources and strengthening of social inclusion. We believe that in this way we are strengthening the institutional system of our independent State and stable economy, striving to make choices that will ensure long-term security.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“I take this opportunity to commend and support the initiative of the Secretary-General to accelerate international action, given how urgently we need to strengthen our global response with resolute and ambitious actions in order to implement the international commitments undertaken. Initial results in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development demonstrate a necessity to ensure that its transformative potential is focused on improving governance mechanisms and reforming existing development models. At all levels, our reaction has to be based on continuous engagement aimed at introducing sustainable development practices within the frameworks of complex political processes, such as the continuous generation of new ideas and actions aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“I believe that our societies, particularly our communities in the Mediterranean and Europe, will not allow our sea to become a tomb and the place of our civilization’s collapse. There is no country in the world that can deal with the issues of migration and forced displacement alone. Any form of long-term instability would make all of us vulnerable. We need the full implementation of the agreed global treaties on migration and refugees. This week’s Climate Action Summit 2019 has shown that the existing high level of international activities is not enough to achieve the goals agreed upon within the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“More than two decades after the end of the conflict, Montenegro is still working with the countries of the region and with the support of the international community to seek permanent solutions for those most affected by the war. A significant number of such persons remain in Montenegro. They give an added value to our multi-ethnic harmony after having integrated into Montenegrin society. I fully agree that the burden on host countries is too heavy. But our humanity must urge us to show solidarity and a willingness to share the burden in every situation. During the 1990s, we in Montenegro had no dilemma in accepting those who left their homes under the threat of war. Today the threats are multifold. People are running away not only from wars and persecution but also from the consequences of global warming and natural disasters.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The exceptional Kofi Annan talked passionately about the immense transformative power of education. He always emphasized that education is the foundation of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development. We believe that, by ensuring access to education, we are creating conditions for the development of future leaders and drivers of social change for better and more secure societies. Solidarity with displaced persons and refugees must not be a matter of political decision or choice. That is, above all, a matter of humanity. Montenegro states this based on its own experiences. Montenegro accepted a huge number of displaced persons during the wars in the former Yugoslavia. At one point, refugees made up a fifth of our total population.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The figures for those suffering from the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo show that children are also among the most affected. We could unfortunately provide a long list of devastating numbers from Libya, Somalia and the Sahel region, of persecuted Rohingya people and so on. We can only wonder what the future of those children and of those societies may be. Can we already say that they are the lost generations or can we still do something urgently and prevent millions of children and young people around the world, deprived of their fundamental rights and the opportunities to learn and receive an education, from falling victim to various traffickers and sexual and gender-based violence, being abused for political purposes or suffering the worst forms of violence and violent extremism.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The choice of priorities of the President of the General Assembly and the theme of this year’s debate indicate the key challenges with which we have continuously been faced and to which we, as a community, have unfortunately not yet been able to find an effective and comprehensive response. The data show that the number of displaced persons in the world has reached the record figure of 70 million, which is the largest number since the Second World War. There are approximately 26 million refugees, half of whom are less than 18 years of age. Last year, a tragically high number of children were killed or wounded, most of them in Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen. A record number of very young children have died in Syria since the beginning of the war in that country, which is in its ninth year.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“As he said, strengthening multilateralism today means strengthening our commitment to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and to the development of a more secure and just world for future generations. I want to assure Member States that Montenegro remains firmly committed to the approach defined by the founders of the world Organization that we accepted in 2006 after we restored our independence and became a full-fledged member of the United Nations. It is the approach of being a good neighbour, strongly and resolutely defending universal values and principles, and being a reliable partner in efforts to maintain international peace and security. I believe that every country, regardless of the figures that it records, can by its own example contribute to global solutions and be a part of them.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“It is a great honour for me to address the General Assembly on behalf of Montenegro and to reaffirm our strong commitment to the goals, the fundamental tenets and the principles of the United Nations. In the year when we mark 100 years of multilateralism, in an atmosphere of increasingly sharp polarization, fragmentation and instability in international relations, and at a time of economic and geopolitical uncertainty, it is our common responsibility to demonstrate the true value of United Nations action and efficient multilateralism as the only global solutions to global challenges. That is why I want to particularly commend the commitment of the Secretary-General Guterres to the reform and strengthening of the multilateral system.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)