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. 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. 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.
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. 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.
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.
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. 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.
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.