Two weeks ago, we commemorated the twentieth anniversary of the horrendous terrorist attacks against the United States. But that barbaric act of terrorism was directed not only against the United States, but also against our shared values. That heinous crime will always serve as a powerful reminder that we must stand united in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism in all their forms.
The threat of international terrorism has unfortunately not diminished. Terrorist and violent extremist groups have demonstrated their ability to adjust to the new circumstances, even during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Our vigilance is therefore needed more than ever. The adoption of the seventh review of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy (resolution 75/291) in June gives us an opportunity to improve the tools required to effectively address this global scourge.
The turbulent situation in Afghanistan poses a major challenge. It is now important to join forces to avert a humanitarian catastrophe, continue our fight against terrorism and organized crime and prevent forced displacement and illegal migration. At the donor conference held in Geneva, the Czech Republic pledged to increase its humanitarian support for the people in need in Afghanistan. Our contribution will amount to some $5 million. The United Nations remains a key actor on the ground in Afghanistan. The Taliban must ensure unhindered and safe access to the entire territory of the country for all humanitarian and United Nations staff, including all female staff. The Czech Republic strongly condemns the use of violence and intimidation against protesters, journalists and human rights defenders. We are particularly concerned about Taliban actions directed against women and girls.
Another region in which the population has been badly tested is the Sahel. Together with our international and African partners, the Czech Republic will continue to take part in joint stabilization activities to bring peace and prosperity to that part of the continent. Africa deserves peace, prosperity and stability. We have been implementing a national programme with an annual budget of more than $14 million to support African countries coping with forced displacement and irregular migration.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on individuals, societies and economies. It has shown us how intertwined global challenges are. It has also highlighted the importance of international cooperation, information-sharing and communication among all actors, as well as compliance with international obligations. The World Health Organization (WHO) plays a special role in strengthening health systems and preparedness for pandemics. It has a unique mandate in the field of global public health. It must be able to work effectively, efficiently and independently of any political or other influence. The ongoing reform process in WHO should reflect the recommendations of evaluation bodies and feed into the notion of value for money. We must learn our lessons and act in solidarity to leave no one behind.
As part of Team Europe, my country will have donated more than 2 million doses of vaccines by the end of this year, mostly through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility. We can build back better and greener if we connect our immediate pandemic response with prevention and resilience-building.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change constitute the centrepieces of our joint efforts. The nexus of humanitarian, development and peace activities has proved quite efficient. Earlier this year, my country successfully presented its second voluntary national review at the United Nations. We support our partners in achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda through projects of bilateral and multilateral development cooperation, humanitarian assistance and transformation policy.
With regard to global climate change action, the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Glasgow, will be crucial, and our nationally determined contributions need to be ambitious. We also need all major emitters on board. The impacts of climate change on peace and security are becoming
increasingly apparent. Systematic integration of those risks into the Security Council’s work is necessary.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated negative trends in the protection of human rights worldwide. More than ever, we need to ensure respect for civic participation, the independent media and civil society. The increasing importance of cyberspace to our everyday lives and our economic resilience cannot be overstated today. Preserving a globally accessible, free and secure cyberspace is essential. However, the pandemic has also exposed deep digital divides. We are appalled by the increase of cyberattacks against critical infrastructure that delivers essential services to our citizens, including hospitals, water-treatment facilities, power plants and even our democratic institutions. Such acts can cause grave suffering to civilians, including the loss of lives.
The deliberate spreading of disinformation has a direct impact on the health and safety of our citizens and their trust in institutions. Using disinformation as a means of aggression against other States is utterly unacceptable. The geopolitics of technology continues to pose an ever-greater challenge to the established norms. We must all work together to ensure that new digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, remain an enabler of human progress, rather than a tool for surveillance, oppression and control.
The protection and promotion of human rights is one of the pillars of Czech foreign policy. We support the mandate and vital work of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. We echo the Secretary-General’s call to action for human rights and we agree that adequate funding of the United Nations human rights pillar from the United Nations regular budget must be secured. Similarly, striving to improve the rights of women and girls must be at the heart of our response to the pandemic. The Czech Republic fully supports the women and peace and security agenda, and we will proceed with the implementation of our second national action plan, along with civil society and academia.
Furthermore, the Czech Republic firmly supports international criminal justice, in particular the International Criminal Court. We would also like to express our support for the start of negotiations on a convention on crimes against humanity.
Let me underscore one strand of hatred that I consider especially despicable: rising anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial. The Czech Republic is committed to preventing and combating anti-Semitism both offline and online. In 2022, we will host a follow-up international conference to the Terezin Declaration, endorsed by 47 countries. Our ambition is to achieve progress in rectifying property injustices from the time of the Holocaust and to create funds for education about and combating anti-Semitism, xenophobia and hatred.
The Czech Republic is concerned about the continuous massive repression in Belarus, which has created a climate of fear among the general public. We call for the immediate release of all those unlawfully detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression or peaceful assembly, including journalists, human rights defenders and activists. Independent and transparent investigations into all those violations is essential.
The Czech Republic is a firm supporter of the rules-based international order, with the United Nations at its core — upholding international law and compliance with commitments rooted in the Charter of the United Nations. In that context, let me reiterate the unwavering support of the Czech Republic for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine and Georgia within their internationally recognized borders.
In addition, we deplore any State-sponsored malign activities committed in Europe in recent years as simply unacceptable, illegal and in direct violation of everything that the United Nations stands for. The Czech Republic has experienced it first-hand.
Turing to Myanmar, we strongly condemn the military coup in the country. We support the legitimately elected leaders, and we call for respect of the results of the November 2020 parliamentary elections.
Let me now focus on the situation in the Middle East. Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza bear the primary responsibility for the outbreak of violence and the tragic developments in May 2021. Their large-scale rocket attacks targeted Israeli civilians. Let me reiterate that Israel has every right to defend its citizens. The Czech Republic supports any meaningful initiative leading to an end of that cycle of violence and remains firmly committed to the two-State solution. Resuming direct talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians is desirable, as are all confidence-building measures that aim to bring the two sides to the negotiating table.
In the Human Rights Council, the Czech Republic voted against the establishment of an ongoing commission of inquiry with a rather vaguely defined geographical scope. Israel, a democratic country with an independent legal system, has appropriate means to effectively confront and address human rights violations.
Iran’s continued escalation of nuclear activities far beyond its commitments, coupled with the suspension of the implementation of transparency measures under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, raises serious concerns. All those actions impede the execution of the verification and monitoring mandate of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
We are all committed to ensuring a safer and more stable world for our citizens and a sustainable, inclusive global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Complex global challenges can be addressed only through effective multilateral governance and rules- based international cooperation.
Such an approach, I believe, can also be useful in reducing simmering geopolitical tensions in the Indo- Pacific region. We observe that worrisome trend with great apprehension.
In order to tackle pressing global issues, the international community needs the United Nations to be fit for purpose. We welcome the Secretary-General’s recent report Our Common Agenda. Engaging a broad array of stakeholders, including young people, civil society and think tanks, will provide fresh energy for change.
In conclusion, I fully agree with the Secretary- General that humankind has proven time and again that it is capable of achieving great things when we put our differences aside and work together for a common purpose. This is the spirit of our United Nations.