The theme for this General Assembly is indeed an appropriate one, for this truly is a watershed moment. As I was preparing for my address today, I thought to myself, “What is it that the people we represent want most? What do they expect of their leaders?” The answer is peace, equality and prosperity. Every person wants to live in peace, to be free and equal, and to have a decent quality of life. Those are the three themes that I would like to focus on today. All three are equally important, interlinked and go hand in hand. This institution should be focusing on delivering on them through concrete actions rather than words. For far too long, I would say, world leaders have allowed disparities to grow in this world, whether between the rich and the poor; between those who have access to fundamental rights and needs such as health care, water, food, and technology and those who are deprived of even the most basic needs; and between those with different sexual orientations. Peace, equality and prosperity are what we as world leaders should aspire to deliver to our people, to the world and to future generations — that is, if we truly want to make a positive difference in their lives.
I want to start by discussing peace. Peace builds, restores and strengthens. Without peace, security and stability, we will never be able to focus on the more important challenge we face, which is bringing about growth, equality and prosperity. That is what Malta and its people stand for. It is what our predecessors had in mind when they enshrined in our Constitution the words “Malta is a neutral State actively pursuing peace, security and social progress among all nations”. That declaration of principles is also echoed in the core values and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, which we should all be committed to upholding. Today, peace is threatened by what Secretary-General Guterres rightly referred to as the cauldron of crises in which we find ourselves. And if we do not come together to work for a global order and world peace, we do not stand a chance, for no single State can do it alone.
In 1989, Malta played an important role in bringing an end to the Cold War by hosting the Bush-Gorbachev summit. Today we remain more committed than ever to contributing to the re-establishment and maintenance of world peace, order and security. As an island State in the Mediterranean, we have seen first-hand the effects of conflicts in our southern area. For more than a decade, those conflicts have led to instability,
with wars and violence causing irreparable harm in Libya, Syria and Yemen, which in turn also led to mass migration. Equally tenuous are the situations in the Sahel, Afghanistan and the Middle East. Naturally, at this moment in time, the most prominent is the war in Ukraine. Following decades of peace in mainland Europe, it is a stark reminder that peace can never be taken for granted.
Thousands of civilians have been killed and millions are suffering devastating losses. Close to 12.8 million people are estimated to have been displaced in Ukraine, which is a third of its population and constitutes the largest human displacement crisis in the world today. The international community cannot afford to lose sight of any of these situations. Our sustained support is urgently required to address the humanitarian needs they create and put an end to the devastation in order to end the suffering of innocent civilians.
Let us not underestimate the effects of the war. A failure to act will also cause instability to spill over into neighbouring regions with all of its negative consequences, including mass migration, human trafficking and terrorism. Yet as the war rages on in Ukraine, we must not forget the other issues that require our attention and action. I would like to speak briefly about our brothers and sisters in Northern Africa, particularly in Libya — a country that is a neighbour to Malta. Under the auspices of the United Nations and without interference from foreign actors, I believe that Libya and its people can transition to more peaceful, secure, stable and prosperous times. For that to happen, however, decisions must be taken to immediately put aside vested interests in Libya once and for all. That is what the Libyan people deserve and what is best not just for their region but for the Mediterranean area and the African continent in general.
We are indeed living in trying times as a result of these wars. Despite our efforts, equality remains a remote concept. Today’s global food supplies and energy markets have been shaken as never before, mostly because of the war in Ukraine. The knock-on effects will be felt by our peoples in different ways. Right now, they are taking the shape of constraints in the purchase of grains, fertilizers, agricultural equipment and livestock feed, shortages of which have inflated the prices of key basic imports. That in turn has negatively affected the purchasing power of consumers around the world. That continuing rise in the rate of inflation on food products, as well as in food scarcity and insecurity, is a major cause for concern and should be at the top of our agenda. Those pressures have an even more intense effect on small islands such as my country, owing to their insularity and other specificities. In Malta’s case, we took a calculated strategic decision to support and stand behind our people all the way to the best of our ability. If we do not support our people until the situation improves, we will have failed them. We cannot leave them to carry the burdens alone.
At the same time, we must bear in mind that if the situation is prolonged, it will lead to increased pressures on economic, social and environmental sustainability for us all. It is our duty, as citizens of a global, interconnected world, to work for more sustainable food systems, fulfilling our commitment to achieving zero hunger. But in order to end hunger, we must also end conflict and war. The right to food is a recognized basic human right. The consequences of not acting to safeguard it, compounded with the devastation caused by climate change, will be severe and could lead to famine and the further displacement of peoples. The number of people globally living in poverty is estimated to have risen by more than 70 million so far. With the probability of further marked increases in the coming months, that is something we cannot afford.
We appeal for the United Nations to address the global needs for resilience, as a counterpart and counterbalance to the dynamics of globalization and as a matter of urgent priority. In that regard, my country is a firm believer in international fair trade as a key element in the development of nations and something that is particularly important for smaller economies, which are largely dependent on external supply and demand for economic growth and increased social well-being. The pandemic has severely slowed the historical decline in the poverty rate. Food insecurity and price hikes will exacerbate the plight of millions around the world, as the effects of the war in Ukraine could continue to push the number of people at risk of falling below the poverty line even higher.
In the twenty-first century we will not find solutions through the use of force or weapons. We can prevent a further deterioration of the situation only if we manage to resolve war through dialogue and meaningful negotiation efforts. The twenty-first century should not be an era of war. The quest for peace requires that all who are parties to conflict put the best interests and priorities of the people first. We all know what the best interests of our peoples are. Our absolute priority should be to re-establish peace and order and to end war. That is what our people are telling us they
want, and it is what they deserve, so that is what we must deliver to them, without any further delay. We have all experienced almost three years of continued crisis, including a pandemic. The most vulnerable in our societies are the ones who have been the hardest hit. Social unrest will increase if our peoples’ quality of life deteriorates. That is why we must intensify our pursuit for peace, equality and justice for all. Malta will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine as they continue to face an unprovoked aggression. We will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians and condemn all tactics and recent statements that do not bode well and will most probably mean a further deterioration of the situation.
The third theme I want to delve into is prosperity. Economic resilience is now more important than ever. Only through economic ties and interdependence and the freedom of movement of people and capital across countries can we hope for long-lasting world peace. For decades, globalization has been hailed as the next frontier of economic growth, by enabling human, financial and capital resources to be deployed as effectively as possible; by fostering jobs — or rather, careers — through international trade; by creating wealth through technological advances and their dissemination; and by allowing for better diversification against risk through the creation of multiple investment opportunities. Our time is now, and if not now, when? Let us turn the challenges we face into opportunities to transform our economies and make them future-ready, and to focus on our green objectives. It is imperative that during these trying times we avoid any temptation to put the climate on the back-burner. We should make no mistake — the future is green, and it is digital.
I will focus on the latter first. The digital arena is one that Malta has recognized and embraced. We have invested heavily in our digital economy, both in terms of public administration and on the business and social fronts. Today we rank first in the European Union (EU) in terms of e-Government and fifth on the EU Digital Economy and Society Index. That is no coincidence. It is the result of our strategic vision on digitalization. Our priority is always to keep our citizens at the heart of our policies and to strive to improve their quality of life, on multiple levels, by providing excellent, quality services, increasing the number of high-quality jobs, and reducing the digital divide to avoid leaving anyone behind where the use of technology is concerned. Digital is the future, and we are committed to it.
In parallel with the digital transition, we have to work on the green one. In both areas, we must continue emphasizing the importance of closing the digital gap across all nations in order to ensure a level playing field. The displacement of peoples due to climate change, particularly as a result of droughts and sea-level rise leading to loss of territory, is unfortunately taking place on our watch. Though no one is safe from climate change, it is those who are most vulnerable who are the worst affected. In Pakistan floods have already claimed thousands of lives. And what about the heatwaves and droughts in China, California, the Middle East, Africa and Asia? What about the cyclones and typhoons in Japan? All of those are climate disasters that happened in 2022 but may become the order of the day if we do not intensify our efforts. There is no quick fix — far from it. Here I must reiterate that global challenges require global solutions. Together, we must keep the 1.5°C target alive, ensure that no one is left behind, and continue working to build decarbonized nations and societies.
As my country is about to proudly embark on a two-year term on the Security Council, we intend to do our utmost to keep climate change on the international peace and security agenda. Climate change poses a serious threat to us all, but particularly to small island developing States and many coastal communities. It threatens State sovereignty, leads to loss of territory and damages States’ infrastructure, as well as jeopardizing their existing rights under maritime zone boundaries. As Prime Minister of Malta, I am fully aware of the threat that climate change poses to small island States all over the world. No matter how near to or far we are from one another, we truly share similar climate challenges. Malta was one of the founding members of the Alliance of Small Island States and aims to become a leader in small island State governance. A lot has already been done in recent years. Malta has been channelling overseas development aid for decades now and we are committed to continuing to offer support through scholarships and dedicated learning and training programmes in various areas. One such area is water management. Water scarcity is becoming one of the most serious effects of climate change. Our water-management practices, particularly sourcing water through desalination and wastewater recycling, can serve as a model for addressing our world’s future needs, especially in view of the increasing recurrence of droughts brought about by climate change.
Moreover, small States may serve as platforms where innovative ideas and technologies can be tested and eventually identified as international best practices and adopted on a wider scale. Malta launched an initiative for islands at the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change in Glasgow last year, and we intend to continue to build on it further. Our aim is to bring to the fore the realities of small island economies as we strive to decarbonize, digitalize and fulfil the Sustainable Development Goals. Safeguarding our oceans therefore remains one of our key priorities. The interplay between climate change and the health of our ocean is important for Malta as we draw on our maritime legacy and our historical contribution at the United Nations. The ocean plays a pivotal role in combating climate change but is itself also vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels and changes in sea temperature and currents. That is why as a member of the Security Council we will place particular emphasis on bridging the gap between science, policy and law-making in order to address global security concerns, especially with regard the ocean, as the single largest habitat on our planet.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank members for placing their trust and confidence in my country to serve on the Security Council for a two- year term starting in January 2023. As a proud State member of the European Union, located between two continents, we are committed to promoting dialogue and understanding with a view to strengthening cooperation and social progress. While the challenges we face are many, if we work together and concentrate our efforts I am sure that there are no obstacles we cannot overcome. Through cooperation and exchange, we will be able to see our societies grow and thrive. Now is the time for nations to reach out, deepen ties with existing partners and develop new relationships with others. As a State Member of the United Nations and a member of the Security Council starting next year, Malta stands ready to work with other Member States to maintain and encourage international peace and dialogue and to find transformative solutions to today’s challenges by fostering peace, strengthening equality and delivering prosperity, keeping security, sustainability and social justice at the heart of our efforts and priorities.
I would like to conclude by conveying a message that my 10-year-old daughter, Giorgia Mae, who is here with us in the audience, asked me to pass on when I explained to her that I would be addressing this meeting of world leaders. She said, “Papa, I would like the world leaders to be an example to us children and leave behind a beautiful Earth”. May that simple yet poignant message enable us to deliver what is expected of us.