YouSaid · the spoken record

Jonas Gahr Store

lines on the record: 24
first: 2009-09-24
most recent: 2022-09-24
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

“We expect, and will work towards, an ambitious declaration on future generations, and we look forward to engaging with the High-level Advisory Board and Member States in the process ahead. We are living in challenging times, but let us never lose hope. We must face the current challenges with resolve and recall the strength that we can muster when we act together.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“But let us remind ourselves that there is no contradiction between that and engaging with the rest of the world — quite the contrary, it is in the interests of our citizens. We are bound together, we are dependent on each other and we have a shared destiny. It is clear to me that, without a strong and effective United Nations, the international community will not be able to address the challenges it faces. That is why we applaud and support the Secretary-General’s report Our Common Agenda (A/75/982). If anything, it is even more urgent to implement that report now than when it was launched. The Summit of the Future, to be held in September 2024, will be an important milestone.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Despite increased geopolitical tensions, the Security Council has retained its ability to adopt important resolutions. We secured a robust mandate for the United Nations in Afghanistan. Together with the Niger, we negotiated a groundbreaking resolution on the protection of education in armed conflict (Security Council resolution 2601 (2021)), and we partnered with Ghana on a resolution on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea (Security Council resolution 2634 (2022)). All that matters. In times of crisis and rising global tensions, we all feel the pressure to put domestic concerns before global solidarity. In times of distress, it is only natural for political leaders to try to look after their own populations; it is their responsibility.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Norway will work to ensure an effective agreement on combating plastic pollution through a life-cycle approach. We must not overlook existing crises as new ones emerge. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is not over yet; we cannot go from COVID-19 panic to COVID-19 neglect. We must use the lessons learned from the pandemic and the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator. That will be key to preventing, preparing for and responding to new outbreaks of infectious disease. Russia’s unlawful act of aggression against Ukraine has heightened geopolitical tensions and presented obstacles to multilateral cooperation. That is serious. As a Security Council member, Norway has consistently sought to strengthen the Council’s mandate to maintain international peace and security.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“If adequately managed and protected, the oceans hold the key to achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals. Yet Sustainable Development Goal 14 is the most underfunded, which is why Norway is pushing for change. The High-level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, which is co-chaired by Norway, is an initiative by world leaders committed to ocean health and ocean wealth, in support of the 2030 Agenda. Panel members have committed to sustainably manage 100 per cent of the ocean areas under their national jurisdiction. We will establish sustainable ocean plans and urge other coastal States to do the same. The fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly was an important breakthrough for multilateral cooperation on environmental issues.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Climate and security are already closely interlinked. The fight against climate change requires new, innovative approaches, and we must do what we can to ensure the success of the upcoming twenty- seventh Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Egypt. Norway will not rest between now and then. The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet brings together private and public resources with the objective of accelerating development. As co-Chair, Norway will work with partners across the global South to support the initiation of renewable energy transitions, reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, increase clean power and create green jobs. Given our geography and our history, the oceans can — and will — be a vital part of the solution to climate change, food insecurity and poverty.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We are all dependent on a collective response if we are to succeed in addressing climate change and the loss of biodiversity. We are currently not on track, and that needs to change. Norway will honour its commitment to cut greenhouse-gas emissions and play a key role in the green transition. We have listened to the concerns of developing countries and have decided to double our climate financing to those countries by 2026. Within that target, we aim to at least triple our funding for climate adaptation and resilience. Climate change affects millions of people worldwide and increases the needs of vulnerable people. However, the current humanitarian system will not be able to meet the increasing humanitarian needs. As global warming continues, weather and climate extremes will increasingly have an impact on armed conflict.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“If the global community does not act swiftly, the current food price crisis will develop into a food availability and food supply crisis — and that is too serious to ignore. Together with fighting climate change, Norway has placed food security at the top of its development agenda. This year we are allocating more than $300 million in funding to food security initiatives alone. We need to increase humanitarian assistance and enhance social safety nets, promote local food production in the global South, secure access to seeds, fertilizers and technology for small-scale farmers and accelerate the transformation to climate-resilient and sustainable food systems. In doing all of that, we must ensure that the needs of women and girls are adequately integrated.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“In all the peace processes in which Norway is engaged, we promote active involvement and participation by women in line with the women and peace and security agenda. We talk to all parties as we work to achieve peaceful conflict resolution. Without dialogue, we have no opportunity to influence the parties and encourage them to move in a more positive direction. Norway also strongly supports the good offices of the Secretary-General in conflicts worldwide. We commend him and his dedicated team for their important work on the Black Sea Grain Initiative, and Tiirkiye for its important contribution. The prices of food, fuel and fertilizer were already high before the war in Ukraine, but the war has dramatically exacerbated the situation.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“While supporting Ukraine, we must not forget conflicts elsewhere. Norway is continuing its peace diplomacy and peacebuilding efforts in major conflicts across the globe. As part of our long-standing engagement in the Middle East, we are pushing for an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including a viable two-State solution. In Colombia, the new Government has expressed its commitment to implementing the peace agreement with the Fuerza Alternativa Revolucionaria del Comun and initiating formal negotiations with the Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional (ELN) guerrilla group. The ELN also seems inclined to renew dialogue. As a guarantor country, Norway remains committed to Colombia’s quest for peace and to supporting the parties in that endeavour.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Some have the conviction that authoritarian regimes are strong, while democracies are frail and likely to crack under pressure. We are proving them wrong. Together with a strong alliance of partners, we are standing with Ukraine and aiding its self-defence. As Europe’s largest supplier of energy, we do what we can to enhance Europe’s resilience. We are standing up for human rights and fundamental freedoms elsewhere. Norway will continue to promote civic space, protect human rights defenders and support media diversity and independent journalism worldwide. Women’s and girls’ participation in society and their right to make decisions about their own bodies are essential to democratic and sustainable development, not least in times of conflict and war. Safeguarding those human rights remains one of our top priorities.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“There is a lack of respect for international humanitarian law in many armed conflicts, and civilians are paying the price. A few years ago, it appeared that hunger would soon be a scourge of the past; now food insecurity is on the rise. No continent is more vulnerable to the combined effects of climate change, conflict and growing food insecurity than Africa. Norway stands in solidarity with the people grappling with those interlocking crises. We have allocated more funding to humanitarian assistance and development cooperation in 2022 than ever before. The war of aggression against Ukraine is a challenge to the norms and the founding principles of the United Nations. We are standing up to confront that challenge.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“It has accelerated a negative economic spiral and jeopardized the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We are all feeling the repercussions of the war. Energy supply is under pressure, inflation is soaring and food insecurity has increased dramatically. Ordinary people across the globe — not least those in developing countries — are paying the price. The war is amplifying other crises and compounding the impacts of climate change and armed conflict in other parts of the world. The Horn of Africa is faced with its worst drought in more than four decades. Pakistan is contending with devastating floods. More than 300 million people affected by conflicts and humanitarian crises are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The United Nations Charter sets out clear principles for a rules-based international order, but now that rules-based order is under attack. February 2022 ushered in what we had hoped we would never witness again — a new large-scale war in Europe. Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine has led to massive suffering, large-scale humanitarian needs and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. Russia bears sole responsibility for the war and its consequences — and Russia is responsible for bringing it to an end. Russia’s actions are in blatant breach of the United Nations Charter, and therefore concern us all. The war is also having devastating global consequences, as we have heard so many speakers highlight this week. It has undermined multilateral cooperation when we need it the most.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We live in challenging times indeed. As a global community, we face the dire consequences of war, climate change, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, food insecurity and inequality. The Secretary-General underlined that eloquently in his address to the General Assembly (see A/77/PV.4). We have the values and principles necessary to deal with those challenges — they are enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. There is no country that does not face those challenges, and we can only successfully respond to them together. That is precisely why we have the United Nations, which was born out of crisis, to unite our strengths and enable nations to rise above their narrow self-interests and find common ground. That is what we need to turn to again.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Last week, Norway submitted to the Council its first report on the human rights situation in my country, taking a critical look at our own record and inviting constructive criticism. We encourage all States to submit to similar constructive criticism of their own records so that the review process becomes substantial and meaningful. Here in New York, we welcome the decision to establish a new and enhanced gender entity and hope to see it operational as soon as possible. We will pursue the United Nations reform agenda and system-wide coherence, as well as the Delivering as One agenda. The United Nations should take pride in being subject to more public scrutiny; reform must be an ongoing effort. Only such an approach will allow us to keep lending the United Nations all the support this noble body deserves.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Iran itself has the opportunity and responsibility to remove this doubt, and it is imperative that it do so. Furthermore, while nuclear weapons pose a threat of mass destruction, actual destruction of mass proportions is caused every day by small arms, cluster munitions and landmines. Motivated by the unacceptable harm that these weapons cause to civilians, Norway is committed to humanitarian 09-53165 12 disarmament. We urge all States to accede to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and to join intensifying efforts to control small arms and the arms trade. Norway is honoured to have been elected a member of the Human Rights Council and will work with others to raise the credibility, effectiveness and visibility of that important body.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“We must continue to support the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which has a mandate to coordinate international assistance with the Afghan Government. UNAMA requires additional resources, as well as a strong commitment on the part of all United Nations Member States to the coordination of efforts under Afghan leadership. We stand on the threshold of a new era of nuclear disarmament. The Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons next year must set a clear and specific agenda for the elimination of existing nuclear arsenals and for ensuring that nuclear technologies are only applied peacefully, to the benefit of mankind. Recent information casts new doubt about Iran’s nuclear ambitions.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“The appalling rise of rape and other forms of sexual violence reveals an ugly story of men around the world still regarding women and children as secondary citizens. We must never rest as long as women are denied the services and rights that we men take for granted. Nothing less than our claim to civilization is at stake. Today, as we speak, the Security Council is debating the situation in Afghanistan after the elections, as well as the need for a new Afghan Government to connect more strongly with its people, fight corruption and narcotics, empower State institutions and protect human rights, and in particular women’s rights, so that the day may soon come when Afghans can take care of Afghanistan’s security and when Afghan men and women can run a democratic Afghanistan.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Millions of lives have been saved through the efforts of a broad alliance of partners, private and public alike. We will continue to play a leading role until we have achieved those Millennium Development Goals. The most disgraceful underachievement of the effort towards the Millennium Development Goals is the lack of progress to improve maternal health. While we can vaccinate children and give mothers a bed net under a tree at a particular time, what women need are round-the-clock services in clinics to ensure safe deliveries, as well as preparedness for transfer to a hospital in the event of complications. Strengthening health services is key to reducing maternal and child mortality and is also a vital element in guaranteeing the rights of women and children. New and dedicated efforts to combat maternal mortality will now be mobilized.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Loss of income is placing public policies at perilous risk, potentially undermining services on which the poorest and weakest depend the most, such as health and education services. Norway supports all the Millennium Development Goals. We will, for the second year in a row, surpass the 1-per cent mark in official development assistance (ODA). After the financial crisis hit us, we increased our ODA in absolute terms to show solidarity with those who are less fortunate than we are. We focus our action on particular areas where Norway can make a difference. We will continue to take on a special obligation with regard to the health- related Millennium Development Goals. We have tripled our contributions to health care since the year 2000.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Cuts in emissions from rainforest preservation must be institutionalized — as stipulated under the United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries — funded and included in the new treaty. Financing is key to success in Copenhagen. Our Norwegian contributions and proposals may generate substantial new and additional financing for measures in developing countries, based on public finance and dedicated income from the carbon market. The financial crisis has pushed millions of people back into the trenches of poverty and made us stumble in our pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“New efforts must be undertaken to break cycles of impasse, including moving decisively towards peace in the Middle East and a peace agreement that can deliver a Palestinian State living in peace side by side with Israel. 11 09-53165 Last month, the Secretary-General visited Norway’s Arctic to study the effects of global warming. As we approach the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, the pace of negotiations must accelerate. Economy-wide reduction targets must be set for all developed countries. Large and more advanced developing countries should commit themselves to measurable, reportable and verifiable actions.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“In recent weeks, we have witnessed a resurrection of the authority of this Assembly and a new commitment to multilateral cooperation and a belief that it can and must be made to work. The new tone of voice we have heard from the United States here in New York is setting forceful persuasion above persuasive force and extending a hand to those who are willing to unclench a fist. We must all seize this moment. Every country — including the smallest and weakest — can make a difference. Building bridges means that we must all reach out from where we stand today as we struggle together with the crises in finance, food, energy, climate and health.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)