Mr. President,
Mr. Secretary-General,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Government of the Republic of San Marino, I would like to congratulate H.E. Mr. Philemon Yang on his election as President of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly and to wish him a fruitful work.
The Republic of San Marino supports the priorities of your programme and ensures you, Mr. President, full cooperation in all works of the General Assembly.
I would also like to extend my special thanks to Secretary General António Guterres for his energy and determination in leading the United Nations in these difficult and challenging times.
Mr. President,
The coming years will be crucial not only for our future, but for that of generations to come.
The young generations have the right to live in peace and security and in harmony with nature. We should not forget that the world, especially the young generations, is watching us.
Regrettably, we are facing an increasing number of crisis and an unprecedented number of armed conflicts around the world.
Furthermore, the implementation of the 2030 Agenda has been slowed down by an international context of uncertainty, a combined planetary crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, aggravated by the shocks of war, destabilisation and increased fragility.
The impact of multiple crises is felt most severely by the poorest and most vulnerable, thus increasing poverty and inequalities within and between countries.
Achieving sustainable development is a big part of the challenges we face and the 2030 Agenda remains our collective roadmap to addressing them.
The Summit of the Future is an opportunity to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, including delivery on the SDG Summit commitments and renew our commitment to leave no one behind.
Through our renewed commitments, the Pact for the Future can rebuild trust in multilateralism and in our ability to jointly address global challenges.
In this regard, we appreciate that the Pact for the Future adequately reflects ambitious actions in all three interrelated pillars of the UN: development, peace and security, and human rights.
These aspects are intertwined, interconnected, and together can make or break the world we build for ourselves and our children.
We also support the reaffirmation of the centrality of the 2030 Agenda, of human rights and gender equality, and of urgent actions to protect global climate. No country should have to choose between fighting poverty and fighting for the planet. The Republic of San Marino fully believes that respecting human rights for all and achieving gender equality are prerequisites, if we truly want to achieve sustained, inclusive, equitable economic growth and sustainable development.
We would also like to underline the paramount role played by digital technologies in the achievement of the 17 SDGs, however we want to emphasize the importance of global cooperation in order to leave no one behind and in order to build a cyberspace that reflects global standards for peace and security, human rights and sustainable development.
Mr. President,
San Marino sees an urgent need to strengthen our collective support for a rules-based international system rooted in the UN. We unequivocally support this institution’s foundational basics – which include the purposes and principles of the UN Charter as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and existing obligations under international human rights law.
In these times of widespread violations, it is crucial to recommit to the UN Charter and its values in order to maintaining international peace and security, taking effective collective measures for the prevention of conflict and for the suppression of acts of aggression.
We support the recommendations of the Secretary General’s New Agenda for Peace and welcome the new intensified efforts on conflict prevention.
The recognition of the interdependence of peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights is fundamental if we want to achieve credible results.
We support the request for the Secretary General to continue to develop new models of peace operations, and the recognition of the role of regional organizations in enforcing or maintaining peace.
Mr. President,
We are facing challenging times, with an unprecedented level of violence, mass atrocities and displacement.
San Marino is deeply concern about the number and the scale of armed conflicts across the globe, which cause immense suffering to millions of civilians.
The unprecedented rise in global military expenditure is alarming, too.
We are also very concerned about the upsetting increase of dangerous nuclear rhetoric and by the specter of nuclear escalation.
The Republic of San Marino firmly condemns any use or threat of use of nuclear weapons and considers such threats irresponsible and unjustifiable. Any use of nuclear weapons would have catastrophic and unspeakable consequences for humanity.
Unfortunately, today, due to increasing tensions, due to the deterioration of the disarmament architecture, to the use of new emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and due to the possibilities of cyberattacks, the risk of nuclear weapons use, either deliberately or by accident, is higher than at any time since the cold war.
We commend the Secretary General of this Organization for having emphasized the need to eliminate nuclear weapons as a necessary action in the New Agenda for Peace.
San Marino reaffirms its commitment for a world free of nuclear weapons and attaches great importance to the historic Treaty on the Prohibition of nuclear weapons, whose ratifications are constantly increasing.
Mr. President,
The war of aggression against Ukraine brought dramatic consequences for the civilian population, including civilian death, the destruction of vital infrastructures, and massive displacement.
We reiterate our resolute condemnation of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine, and reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine’s political independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
In the true spirit of multilateral and international cooperation, San
Marino took part to Summit on Peace in Ukraine held in
Switzerland last June.
We support all the international efforts aiming to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine based on the UN Charter and international law.
Mr. President,
The Republic San Marino has firmly and repeatedly condemned the horrific terrorist attacks of October 7th.
San Marino calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, condemns the torture and sexual violence perpetrated against them, and recognizes Israel’s right to defend itself within humanitarian and international law.
At the same time, we cannot remain silent in front of the death of more than 40,000 civilians, most of them children and women; more than 90.000 Palestinians have been reported injured, while the majority of houses and hospitals have been damaged, raided or emptied. The level of destruction and of suffering in Gaza is unprecedented.
The civilian suffering, the civilian death toll and the ongoing captivity of hostages are heartbreaking and unacceptable.
We urge all parties to fully respect international humanitarian law, preserving the life, dignity and humanity of all people affected by armed conflict.
Furthermore, the tragic death of UNRWA staff members, and of other humanitarian workers and of journalists cannot be tolerated.
San Marino has joined several initiatives in order to alleviate the catastrophic humanitarian situation of civilians in Gaza and has made financial contributions to UNRWA, UNICEF and OCHA in order to support the work of these agencies, that have been operating in highly challenging conditions.
The international community must break this terrible cycle of violence and recommit to a lasting peace, restoring hope and security to Israelis and Palestinians through a renewed peace process.
San Marino remains committed to a lasting and sustainable peace based on the two-States solution, in which Israel and Palestine live side by side, in peace and security and mutual recognition.
San Marino reiterates its calls for an immediate ceasefire and for a return to dialogue to address the legitimate concerns of the State of Israel and the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people.
A lasting and sustainable peace based on the two-States solution is the only long-term option for peace and, for this reason, we believe that the admission of Palestine to the UN, as full member, would facilitate the achievement of this solution. San Marino welcomes the resolution adopted in May 2024 at the Tenth Emergency Special Session, which upgrades Palestine’s rights at the United Nations as an observer State, urging the Security Council to favorably consider its full membership.
Mr. President,
The spiral of death and devastation has already extended to Lebanon. This represents a threatening escalation of the conflict that is further destabilizing the entire region.
We therefore stress the need for restraint.
Mr. President,
Respect for international law and accountability are key factors that play a crucial role in preventing and stopping violations and crimes.
We reaffirm our commitment to the UN Charter and to the principles of the Responsibility to Protect which is essential in the prevention of atrocity crimes. We are deeply worried about the disregard and violations of international law.
The Republic of San Marino reaffirms its full commitment to the obligations under human and humanitarian law, such as the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the Rome Statute and the Geneva Conventions.
San Marino reaffirms its full support to the International Criminal Court, whose work is crucial in the fight against impunity for genocide and crimes against humanity.
The Republic of San Marino would also like to reiterate its support for initiatives such as the ACT Group’s Code of Conduct regarding Security Council action against genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity and the French and Mexican declaration on voluntary restraint use of the veto by the Permanent Members of the Security Council.
Mr. President,
Protecting civilians from the devastating impact of wars must be our priority.
Armed conflicts around the globe have dramatically impacted the lives of millions of civilians.
The protection of civilian infrastructure is essential to guarantee food security in time of conflict.
Food production and distribution, water delivery, sanitation, energy provision, and health care can all be disrupted, when infrastructures and tools essential to the survival of civilians are damaged, or destroyed.
We support Security Council Resolution 2573, which condemns attacks against critical civilian infrastructures, indispensable for their survival.
San Marino also calls on all parties to achieve the implementation of Security Council resolution 2417, which condemns the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare as well as the unlawful denial of humanitarian access.
San Marino is gravely concerned by the scale and scope of grave violations against children presented in the Secretary-General’s annual report.
San Marino supports the work of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict and of her Office, UNICEF, the Department of Peace Operations, and all child protection actors from the UN and civil society.
Armed conflicts continue to devastate children’s lives and to compromise their fundamental rights. We are witnessing an increase in attacks on schools and hospitals. This is unacceptable.
To strengthen the protection of children in armed conflict, we call all parties to armed conflict to fully comply with their obligations under international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law, and with international norms and standards for the protection of children.
Moreover, we call for full accountability for all grave violations through national and international justice mechanisms, such as the International Criminal Court.
We also call on all member States to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. We also encourage all parties to support other important tools, such as the Paris Principles and Commitments and the Vancouver Principles.
Mr. President,
San Marino believes it is essential to strengthen the global response to the climate emergency.
The existential threat caused by the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution should give to all of us a sense of urgency and priority in tackling this challenge.
We support the commitments taken at COP28 last December, which include the imperative of transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly and equitable manner, tripling renewable energy capacity globally and doubling energy efficiency by 2030 in line with 1.5-degree pathways.
San Marino is fully committed to decarbonising the global economy by 2050 and to halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 and recognize the need to halt pollution, which causes the death of 9 million people annually.
Moreover, we also need to tackle the water crisis, a growing global threat that will inevitably intensify in the coming 50 years, with devastating consequences on sustainable development, the environment, and regional peace and stability.
Mr. President,
The increasingly evident interrelationships among global challenges highlight the need for Member States, today more than ever, to work together to overcome difficulties.
The United Nations is the only universal inter-governmental body based on the sovereign equality of all its members. Its unique role as the centre for setting goals, harmonizing actions and sharing experiences to achieve the common ends, such as peace and security, sustainable development, human rights and the rule of law, transcends any one nation-state and serves the collective interest of all nations and peoples.
The centrality and relevance of the UN is not a given. We need a much stronger focus on collective, global solutions to current and future challenges, which threaten peace and prosperity for all. We need to revitalize the United Nations and reinvigorate multilateralism to ensure its continued significance.
To this end, it is essential to rebuild trust in the potential of the Organization, in its leadership, and, most of all, trust between its members and all the stakeholders.
Moreover, the global governance must become more inclusive and accountable to be effective, by providing more space for the participation of civil society and private sector.
In this regard, we need more inclusive international financial architecture, strengthen a rules-based and equitable financial system that ensures a more effective and inclusive global economic governance, with meaningful development impact and providing space for innovative solutions.
Multilateralism must effectively deliver on peace as a global public good. Reforms must remain at the centre of our actions because they are crucial to future world stability and maintenance of international peace and security.
In this regards, San Marino follows with particular interest the Security Council reform. As we have stated on previous occasions, our Country believes that intergovernmental negotiations favour the search for an agreement based on a broad and strong political consensus, able to reflect the interests of all negotiating groups. San Marino calls for a reform that makes the Council more democratic, transparent, efficient and accountable. This goal can be achieved only through a continuous dialogue among the States and the awareness that overcoming the respective initial positions is essential to negotiate the broadest agreement possible.
In conclusion, Mr. President,
We stand at a critical juncture where the steps we take today will shape the international rules-based order and the UN system for decades to come.
It is essential to find new ways of working together and to ensure that multilateral institutions will be able to address the rapid changes taking place.
Member States must assume their responsibilities, including that of making our organization able to fulfil its mandate, which is to protect the citizens of the world.
San Marino is a State with a strong identity thanks to its century-old history of peace and freedom. Our State is small, but proud to bring its contribution to the United Nations Community.
Thank you for your attention.