Let me first join others in
congratulating Mr. d’Escoto Brockmann on his election
to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-
third session. I pledge Iceland’s support and
cooperation in the important work that lies ahead.
Almost all United Nations Member States
recently sent athletes to compete in the Beijing
Summer Olympic Games, where the world witnessed
outstanding sportsmanship, in terms of both
performance and conduct. The Olympics have become
a global venue where there is no contradiction between
the demonstration of international solidarity and
positive patriotism. While recognizing that the example
of such a sporting event cannot be applied directly to
international relations in the political field, it could
still be an inspiration as we seek ways to make our
Organization more effective in dealing with the
immense global challenges of the twenty-first century.
The Olympics reflect the human commonality and
aspirations that should be our point of departure.
Extreme poverty continues to remain an obstacle
to development and security in many parts of the
world. Despite considerable accomplishments in the
reduction of poverty, this is still the single most
daunting challenge facing mankind and the source of
so many other problems with global repercussions.
Experience shows that a combination of local, regional
and international initiatives is usually required to
eradicate the manifold causes of poverty. This includes
additional resources for development cooperation.
We, the international community, must fulfil the
promises we made to our most vulnerable constituents
eking out an existence in extreme poverty, especially in
sub-Saharan Africa. They are the ones who depend
most on the solidarity of the international community.
The forthcoming meeting in Doha on financing for
development will test the resolve of the international
community and, for its part, Iceland aims to be among
the top contributors of official development assistance
(ODA), having already doubled its budget for
development cooperation over the past four years.
The Secretary-General has aptly referred to the
interconnected challenges of soaring food costs,
development and climate change. Indeed, the objective
of widespread sustainable development seems ever
more distant. But apathy or despair is not an option
because, inevitably, the cost of inaction will rise
correspondingly. Action needs to be broad-based and
sustained, addressing both urgent humanitarian and
long-term structural issues. Much can be done to
strengthen food security. Iceland, for example, has for
decades shared its experience and expertise in modern
fisheries with developing coastal States, including
through the work of the United Nations University
Fisheries Training Programme in Reykjavik. Ninety-
five per cent of the people in the world dependent on
harvesting living marine resources live in developing
countries. We will continue to make a small but significant contribution towards improving their lives
and thereby further the cause of sustainable
development. Our goal of economic prosperity with
environmental responsibility is the key to sustainable
development and long-term prosperity.
The threat of climate change can be tackled only
through the combined efforts of the international
community. The urgency of the threat has been
highlighted repeatedly by my colleagues from the
small island developing States and many least-
developed countries. They are the front-line States,
exposed and vulnerable to the growing consequences
of climate change. Ultimately, though, we will all be
affected. It is in that spirit that Iceland welcomes and
fully supports the Pacific Island initiative for a General
Assembly resolution on security and climate change.
The urgent work started in Kyoto must be
accelerated in Copenhagen next year, and carbon
emissions need to be systematically reduced. The
world can break the dependence on fossil fuels only by
offering efficient and economical alternatives. Iceland
is fortunate to have abundant hydroelectric and
geothermal power and has already reached the goal of
deriving about 80 per cent of its energy consumption
from clean renewable sources. The resulting expertise
and technology have been made available to
developing States, and Iceland is proud to host the
Geothermal Training Programme of the United Nations
University.
Sixty years ago, Eleanor Roosevelt wisely
observed that “The Charter of the United Nations is a
guiding beacon along the way to the achievement of
human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the
world”. As we celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, her words
remind us of the progress already made and the long
and difficult road ahead, made more difficult by major
new global challenges.
Today’s world does not tolerate racial
discrimination and the time has come to make sex
discrimination universally unacceptable too. My
Government will continue to promote gender equality
internationally. We will do it both through multilateral
efforts within the United Nations — most notably in
the United Nations Development Fund for Women
(UNIFEM) — and in the World Bank. Regrettably,
gender equality and women’s empowerment remain
elusive goals throughout the world. I urge the United
Nations to lead by example.
The challenges posed by globalization also offer
new opportunities to revitalize the United Nations
system and better equip the Organization to meet the
challenges of the twenty-first century: better
technology, better communications and more efficient
management are all available. The United Nations is a
long way from being a perfect mechanism, but its role
in the international system is indisputable and
indispensable. If we settle for a United Nations that
sometimes appears to be an abstract objective in itself,
we will never fully realize the potential of this
universal gathering of nations. On the other hand, if we
encourage a high level of ambition and adaptability I
am convinced that the United Nations will live up to
the ideals of its founders and be celebrated as a
cornerstone of the international architecture on the
centenary of the Charter in 2045.
One simple method of raising the profile of the
United Nations, as well as awareness of its important
work, is informing our citizens. I am pleased to inform
the Assembly that the Government of Iceland intends
to make the purpose and work of the United Nations an
integral part of the curriculum at the primary and
secondary levels of education in our country, in
addition to the existing and more selective activities at
higher levels. Iceland strongly encourages all Member
States to do the same. This may prove to be an
effective means of offering the multilateral ideal of the
United Nations as a part of the world view imparted to
future leaders and citizens around the globe.
It is perhaps an oversimplification to speak of a
contest between multilateralism and unilateralism in
international affairs. Those different approaches
frequently overlap, but it is clear that when an effective
multilateral option is available it will always be the
preferred choice for most countries, especially smaller
countries such as mine. This should inspire us to make
the United Nations a forum that can deliver substantive
results, in accordance with international law, in order
to ensure that unilateral actions on issues of major
significance become less likely.
Iceland has been a responsible and active
Member of the United Nations since 1946 and it is
now, after 62 years, seeking for the first time to serve
as a non-permanent member of the Security Council,
with the full support of the other four Nordic countries.
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The election will take place in this Hall in three weeks’
time.
Throughout the history of the United Nations the
Nordic countries have been key contributors to the
Organization’s peacekeeping and development
assistance activities and have been able to play a role
that is disproportionate to their share of the global
population. Above all, the Nordic countries have
shown unwavering commitment to multilateral
cooperation and the rule of law. If elected as a member
of the Security Council, Iceland will continue in that
strong tradition.
We seek the seat as a democratic State not in
conflict with other countries; as a State with a history
of solving its disputes peacefully; as a State that
respects universal human rights; and as a State without
substantial geopolitical interests and, therefore, a State
that can approach issues with a certain objectivity. We
see our candidature not only from a national
perspective. It is also a test of whether the smaller
States Members of the Organization, from all the
regional groups, can have an opportunity to serve on
the Council and thus reinforce its legitimacy. The
election of Iceland would bolster the principle of
sovereign equality and equitable representation.
Academics sometimes associate certain periods in
history with countries or regions as a way of
highlighting predominant characteristics or trends. It
would reflect well on us here today if we had the
foresight and courage to take measures in coming years
that would give future historians reason to refer to the
twenty-first century as the century of the United
Nations.