It is a great honour to address this important organ once again. I especially want to congratulate you, Sir, on being elected to preside over the General Assembly at its seventy-sixth session and I wish you much success. I also want to thank your predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Volkan Bozkir of Turkey, for his leadership and guidance in truly difficult times. Furthermore, I congratulate His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres on his reappointment as Secretary-General of the United Nations.
It is perhaps more important than ever that we continue to strengthen multilateralism and the international rules-based order, with the United Nations playing a central role. You are right, Sir, to point out how this moment in history calls for, above all, hope.
Violence, poverty and hunger are once again on the rise. Our post-pandemic recovery will be even more hard-pressed in upending the world’s uneven economic development. Devastating natural disasters, especially due to severe weather patterns, are increasingly difficult to deal with. As our best scientific minds tell us, we can no longer afford to ignore how climate change is making natural hazards worse. Migration continues to rise, further fuelling discontent in its wake. Meanwhile, populists and disinformation campaigns, by blatantly or maliciously ignoring factual accounts, can unnervingly shake people’s confidence in public authorities, in science and in the media.
But we cannot and we must not give in. It is our responsibility, as global leaders, to tackle those false narratives head-on, to win back the people’s trust and to give them hope. Multilateralism, global solidarity and international cooperation have few — if any — alternatives. They constitute a sound way forward for rational beings. The United Nations stands only to benefit from its cooperation with regional multilateral actors, such as, in a European context, the European Union (EU), the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and NATO.
I therefore want to re-emphasize Croatia’s commitment to our collective efforts to tackle the many challenges before us. That includes taking action on climate change; our commitment to solidarity in times of crises; protecting human rights and upholding humanitarian law; promoting education and the empowerment of women; peaceful conflict resolution; fighting organized crime and corruption; countering terrorism; and dealing with disruptive technologies.
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a historic test for our generation. How we respond today, both individually and collectively, will greatly shape the world of generations to come. Croatia is pleased to have been able to coordinate, together with Afghanistan, resolution 74/306, on the comprehensive and coordinated response to the coronavirus disease pandemic, which set the stage not only for our recovery, but also for building back better. The resolution also recognizes the value of an integrated One Health approach. By better understanding the health-related interlinkages of humans, animals and our ecosystem, we stand a better chance at tackling antimicrobial resistance, as well as preventing and containing another major zoonotic disease outbreak.
I think we all share an aspiration for comprehensive, multisectoral engagement to strengthen national, regional and global capacities, as well as society’s overall resilience to a future pandemic. Let us maintain the momentum and keep working towards a more robust architecture that will reinforce global health security. The World Health Organization plays a pivotal role and its further development is therefore essential. Establishing legal standards and assuring compliance is a fundamental part of an effective multilateral cooperative response.
That is why Croatia actively advocates for a pandemic preparedness and response agreement. As an incoming member of the Economic and Social Council for the term 2022-2024, Croatia wants to foster the deliverance of a stronger multilateral response to the pandemic in a spirit of global solidarity and partnership. Safe and effective vaccines, as well as diagnostics and treatment, need to be made more easily accessible to all, in a timely and sustainable way and without discrimination of any kind. We are firmly committed to supporting the work of the Economic and Social Council as the key platform at the United Nations for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, clearing our path to recovery.
Ahead of the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Glasgow in November, it is vital that we stay on track and promote the continuous implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Even Pope Francis, who dedicated his first
encyclical Laudato si ’ to the common heritage of our planet, is expected to attend.
Making the necessary changes to our lives and our economies will certainly not be easy. However, I am convinced that shifting to green and sustainable technologies can go hand in hand with economic growth. Croatia is actively setting up a legislative and strategic framework, which is a prerequisite for coordinated action on climate change. Our commitment to reaching climate neutrality is visible through several key strategic achievements, namely our national development strategy for 2030; our low-carbon development strategy for 2030 with a view to 2050; and our five-year action plan for the implementation of a low-carbon development strategy.
Allow me to say a few words about our South- Eastern European neighbourhood. Croatia has vested interests in the well-being of the Western Balkans. The stability, functionality and prosperity of the region mean a great deal to us. That is why Croatia is one of the strongest advocates of the region’s EU enlargement prospects. The fulfilment of well-established criteria, the implementation of reforms and the delivery of tangible results remain key requirements for EU membership. Even more so, the path to membership serves to secure the higher standards all peoples aspire to. Democratic transformation and the rule of law will remain central markers. We have also continued to call on all regional leaders to lower tensions, overcome differences and seek ways to build lasting partnerships.
In a way, Bosnia and Herzegovina is a cornerstone of peace and security in the wider region. Its territorial integrity, functioning institutions and inter-ethnic cohabitation have always been important concerns for Croatia, yet the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is as challenging and as complex as it gets in the Western Balkans — and it is always challenging in the Western Balkans. We would like to see a stable, peaceful and prosperous Bosnia and Herzegovina, progressing firmly on the path to EU membership; a country where equality among its three constituent peoples and the rights of all its citizens are fully guaranteed.
Unfortunately, narratives in Bosnia and Herzegovina often swing between two tenaciously unachievable and unjust ends, namely centralized governance and separatism. In their own way, both are destructive and contrary to the spirit of its constitutional framework, stemming from the Dayton-Paris Accords. The Dayton-Paris Accords are not without their faults, which undoubtedly will need to be addressed. However, we should not underestimate Bosnia and Herzegovina’s well-established sensitivities and inherited intricacies, nor should it be subject to experimentations that dangerously deviate from the Dayton Peace Agreement’s founding principles. That is essential in order to move Bosnia and Herzegovina forward and secure its EU aspirations.
The inequality of its constituent peoples has been left unresolved for too long, unnecessarily creating internal political instabilities and tensions. In order to move forward, Bosnia and Herzegovina requires an appropriate institutional power-sharing framework, based on the principles of federalism, decentralization and legitimate representation. The concept of constituent peoples is often misrepresented as an obstacle to the equal rights of all its citizens. Many political and legal practices can be ensured without having to give up democratic rights and freedoms.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s electoral reforms are long overdue and urgently needed. Electoral reforms should facilitate the ability of the constituent peoples, namely Bosniacs, Serbs and Croats, to respectively choose their representatives at all appropriate political levels. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Croats have not been able to exercise that right, therefore it is no wonder that they feel marginalized and disenfranchised. That should change.
The collapse of Afghanistan’s Government is a major setback. After 20 years of our engagement and investment, it is hard not to come away discouraged. We will certainly assess the lessons from our Afghan experience, but the key question today is: how should we deal with the Taliban? Maintaining a pragmatic approach will not be easy, as we rightfully call upon those in power to respect the most fundamental rights of their people. Security will remain fragile, as the risk of a regional spillover cannot be ruled out. We are also concerned that Afghanistan may once again become a breeding ground for terrorism. Croatia has decided to financially support the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in its efforts to provide humanitarian support to the Afghan people.
The Middle East peace process remains crucial, not just regionally but globally. We call on both sides to refrain from unilateral actions that could exacerbate tensions and reopen new cycles of violence. In the
long term, the focus should be on developing a wider political horizon for meaningful negotiations and renewing the peace process. A two-State solution based on internationally agreed parameters remains viable.
Reviving the Iran nuclear deal is a key instrument of regional security and stability that can still serve as a useful platform for broader regional dialogue. We hope that further diplomatic efforts will contribute to resolving issues of common interest.
After over a decade of instability, the Libyan crisis could be winding down. Nevertheless, lasting peace will remain complicated. I sincerely hope that the planned elections will be held in December, as legitimate leadership is an important precondition for a successful transition.
Mr. Manalo (Philippines), Vice-President, took
the Chair.
Together, we urgently need to start reforming the United Nations, especially the Security Council, which is our main instrument for securing global peace and security. In that regard, we welcome the Secretary- General’s efforts, expressed in his recently published report, entitled “Our Common Agenda”. Croatia also upholds the responsibility to protect, as adopted by consensus in the 2005 World Summit outcome document (resolution 60/1). We welcome resolution 75/277, entitled “The responsibility to protect and the prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity”, which was adopted with overwhelming support. Together with Costa Rica, Denmark and the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, Croatia organized yesterday’s special event on protecting women and girls, who are directly affected and often targeted in conflict and post-conflict settings.
Croatia reaffirms its strong commitment to a rules-based international order and to upholding international law — two essential ingredients of peaceful coexistence and cooperation among States. We support the role of the International Criminal Court and call upon those Member States yet to ratify the Rome Statute to do so. Promoting the rights of women and children, confronting hate speech, calling for the abolition of the death penalty, protecting minorities and actively promoting casualty recording and the mandate on truth, justice and reparations are among our human rights priorities at the United Nations.
Croatia is still searching for 1,858 citizens who are still missing or unaccounted for from the 1991-1995 Homeland War. It is a lasting and painful burden for the affected families and takes a toll on our society’s desire to move on. The fact that the fate of the missing is unknown some 30 years later is especially excruciating. We urge other neighbouring States to cooperate in good faith and to respect their declared commitments and international agreements. I must confess that I cannot understand the lack of information sharing and access to archival leads on the possible locations of individual and mass graves so many years after the conflict.
It is impossible not to recall the horrific terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, 20 years ago. Terrorism continues to be our era’s formidable security threat. On the other hand, it has also ushered in unprecedented cooperation and unwavering resolve to counter terrorism. Cybersecurity is perhaps one of our fastest growing concerns. Trends appear to indicate an increasing diversification of malicious efforts, with State-sponsored ones perhaps being the most worrisome. Particularly upsetting incidents involve cyberattacks targeting our critical health infrastructures, which are already exhausted due to the struggle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Croatia is proud to have contributed to 19 United Nations peacekeeping operations. We also aspire to join the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission and continue our engagement from previous mandates.
Nuclear weapons and corresponding technologies still loom large in the security calculus of leading global Powers. Nightmare scenarios can largely be avoided by sincere commitments to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), a foundation of global nuclear order. We hope to see progress made at the next NPT Review Conference. But while nuclear weapons cast large shadows, let us not lose sight of the lingering threats posed by illicit small arms and light weapons trafficking. We are familiar with such threats due to the armed conflicts and organized crime in the Western Balkans. We will continue advocating for effective multilateral action on tackling illegal arms transfers and build-ups.