I would like my opening words to be an expression of the Spanish people’s solidarity with the victims of the earthquake in Morocco and the floods in Libya. Spain will continue to support those two friendly countries in mitigating the consequences of those terrible tragedies in every way possible.
On 10 September, a young Spanish aid worker lost her life in the Bakhmut region of Ukraine. The vehicle in which she was travelling was hit by artillery fire, killing another aid worker and seriously injuring two others. All four shared the same zeal — a zeal that ennobles the soul of every human being and transcends borders, and that was none other than helping those most in need. That was not the only thing that they had in common. Above all. it was their activism that brought them together. They brought supplies and food to civilians. They provided medical assistance, and they evacuated the injured. Their example demands of us quiet, but also pressing reflection on the need to take a stand against injustice and to not remain silent when human rights and the most basic rules of peaceful coexistence among nations are being violated.
This Hall has been witness to many memorable addresses by leaders such as Salvador Allende. Olof Palme and Nelson Mandela. We should of course draw inspiration from their words. But the urgency of the challenges requires us to do more than revel in rhetoric. As has been said at this rostrum, it is time to take action because time is simply running out. We are at a crossroads: change or let ourselves be driven by the course of events, progress or retreat, work together or look out for ourselves, build a lasting future or revive the past, or content ourselves with words or move on to action.
The first dilemma that I would like to mention in this address relates to the climate emergency. We have just experienced the hottest months ever recorded. Extreme weather events are becoming increasingly frequent, with devastating consequences for every continent. According to the experts, we are entering uncharted territory. It is no longer a case of trying to slow the rise in temperatures; it is a matter of mitigation and. as far as possible, adaptation to a situation that is already here.
Thanks to science, we know that we must limit the rise in temperature to 1.5°C; that global emissions cannot peak any later than the year 2025; and that we have no other choice than to expedite the roll-out of renewable energies, and to do so in a fair and equitable manner, in order to triple their generation capacity by the end of this decade. Moreover, we must do that in a spirit of solidarity with the most vulnerable countries by driving the adaptation agenda forward and implementing the loss and damage agreement reached in Sharm El-Sheikh last year.
Tackling the climate emergency requires courage and determination. We need to bring about an unprecedented technological and economic revolution, which will be possible only with broad, resolute and global support. That support demands intelligence to overcome climate inaction’s main ally, which is none other than denialism. That is possible if we transform the daunting challenge before us into an opportunity to create more and better jobs, make all sectors of our economies more sustainable and. in short, keep moving forward hand in hand with science.
On that path, my country. Spain, speaks with deeds rather than words. We have set more ambitious renewable energy and energy efficiency targets in the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan. We will contribute €225 million to the Green Climate Fund. €20 million to the Adaptation Fund and more than €17 million to instruments that strengthen climate justice, particularly funds for the most vulnerable countries and the loss and damage fund.
Just today, on behalf of Spain, we signed the Treaty of the High Seas, which is another step in support of the balance of nature following the historic Kunming-Montreal agreement. It is crucial that the upcoming twenty-eighth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in the United Arab Emirates, be a resounding success. Spain is fully committed to achieving that.
The second area in which we face a difficult decision is the defence of democracy, fundamental rights, equality and social justice. We are witnessing a profound crisis of apathy and distrust of democratic institutions. There is a wave of extremism and reactionary thinking rising throughout the world, which is also present in Europe, propelled by movements that share the same strategy, namely, promising a return to a mythical past that in reality never existed; marginalizing and criminalizing disadvantaged minorities; rejecting equality and trivializing feminism; and questioning human, civil and social rights. Ideas that we thought had been abandoned are returning and are flourishing in places where social discontent is the highest. As a result, it is not easy to counter those who make lies, fear and manipulation their main weapon.
But I believe — and this is what I would also like to share — that there is reason for hope in the ultimate determination of many societies to uphold a legacy of achievements and progress that brooks no turning back. Such a path demonstrates the bold and resolute stance of civil society as a whole in Spain, particularly in the area of gender equality, as has recently been evident in the field of sport, especially in women’s sport and women’s football. Spain has declared that “enough is enough”, with all its implications, because every step forward that a woman takes is a step forward for us all. men and women, alongside them.
There is clearly a very long way to go. and there are many battles to be waged, if we are to achieve full equality among men and women, none more pressing than the eradication of male violence once and for all. the existence of which some people even dare to question against all reason. In my view, there is no better antidote to reactionary extremism than feminism, which is without a doubt one of the leading causes of our century, which is the century of women.
That commitment to gender equality must also be reflected at the multilateral level and. more specifically, in the top leadership positions of multilateral institutions themselves. It is therefore important that upcoming appointments in the United Nations system. including in the General Assembly, take the gender factor into account.
In these turbulent years, we have seen an increasing threat to democracy in many places of the world. We witnessed it in Washington. D.C.. and Brasilia, and. unfortunately, now also in the Niger and Gabon. Regrettably, we have learned not to take for granted as irreversible the rights and freedoms for which other generations valiantly fought.
The 26 July coup d’etat in the Niger has serious implications, since, together with Mauritania, the Niger was the only country in the Sahel with a democratically elected Government. The region, which has been in decline for years, risks becoming a series of failed States that could spread instability to neighbouring regions already plagued by the threat of terrorism. It is therefore crucial that we find a peaceful way out without resorting to military force. In that regard. I would like to reiterate our support for the mediation efforts of the Economic Community of West African States.
Spain will always be a committed partner in furthering the strengthening of democracy, not only in the context of fair elections, the essence of the democratic principle, but also in terms of the body of institutions that enable citizens to fully enjoy their fundamental rights, particularly as relates to wealth distribution and development.
In that respect, we are working closely with our Latin American partners, with whom we share values, principles and goals, so as to strengthen partnerships and share experiences. A good example of that is the transitional justice work that Colombia has undertaken towards full peace. It is a commendable achievement, which Spain wishes to continue to support in all that is necessary to conclude the current ongoing peace talks. The constitutional reform in Chile is another example of a bold commitment to institutional reform, and that country can count on Spain’s support. Furthermore. Spain also reiterates its commitment to the necessary return to the path of democracy in Venezuela in order to restore hope to its people for a future of opportunities.
The third and last crossroads that I would like to mention in this address concerns the defence of multilateralism and a rules-based international order. The United Nations system is the embodiment of a desire to jointly achieve global solutions to our shared challenges and resolve differences through diplomacy, dialogue and cooperation. The challenge now is to
demonstrate that the system works for all. Otherwise, inequality will be fertile ground for the rhetoric of multilateralism’s enemies to thrive.
It is therefore crucial that we step up to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We must boldly stand up to those who use manipulation and lies to challenge that great collective effort. The summit held at the beginning of this week should serve to renew our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Unfortunately, we are not on track to meet the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. If we continue on that path, in 2030. 575 million people will still be living in extreme poverty and 84 million children will remain out of school. At that rate, it will take 300 years to close the gender gap. I see that as a morally unacceptable failure.
I reiterate that this is the time not for words, but for deeds. We must increase our commitments to official development assistance. Spain has just adopted a new cooperation act. with the commitment to allocate 0.7 per cent of its gross national income to development by 2030. We will continue to prioritize key issues, contributing €120 million to the Sustainable Development Goals Fund and another €20 million to replenish the International Fund for Agricultural Development over the next three years.
But we must go further. We must equip ourselves with adequate resources and tools to make progress on sustainable development between now and 2030. It will not be easy to mobilize the financing required to tackle the climate emergency and make the long-term investments that vulnerable countries need in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. But it is essential to do so with approaches that reflect the current needs and realities and with the courage to stop measuring financing for sustainable development in billions of dollars, but instead measure it in trillions.
In that context. Spain advocates strengthening existing mechanisms, ensuring that countries can access the necessary financing, regardless of their income level. But we also support reforming those mechanisms and innovation by setting up new instruments. We need to maximize and optimize the financing capacity of multilateral development banks and explore ways to make the international financial architecture more effective, more inclusive, more transparent and. ultimately, more democratic. We need to adapt international taxation to the current reality and ensure that private investment is aligned with the SDGs.
I believe that the United Nations framework should be the main forum for such a discussion, since it is the only one that can bring together the voices of all countries on equal terms. Spain wishes to actively contribute to this urgent debate. I am therefore declaring our intention to host the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in 2025. and we hope that it will have a truly transformative impact.
Coexistence, peacekeeping and safeguarding international security are not a mere aspiration. The Preamble to the Charter of the United Nations serves as the guide to upholding that desire, a commitment that links our and future generations. Peace is the essential prerequisite for economic development, as well as the expansion of human rights, which takes on particular significance as we mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Many conflicts are still raging; others have reached a deadlock. I would therefore like to reiterate the Spanish Government’s resolute support for the work of the Secretary-General’s special envoys for the Middle East peace process. Syria and Libya.
With regard to Western Sahara. Spain supports a mutually acceptable political solution, within the framework of the United Nations Charter and the Security Council resolutions. The work of the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara is crucial and has the full support of the Government of Spain. Likewise, we will continue to support the Sahrawi population in camps, as we have always done, maintaining our role as the leading international donor of humanitarian aid in that context.
Meanwhile, on 31 December 2020. Spain and the United Kingdom concluded a bilateral agreement on Gibraltar in the context of the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union. Since then, we have worked tirelessly in order for that understanding to form the basis for that territory’s future relationship with the European Union, trusting that the European Union and the United Kingdom will be able to reach an agreement regarding Gibraltar as soon as possible. For us. such an agreement must be completely in line with the United Nations position on that territory, with which Spain fully aligns itself. It must also fully respect my country’s legal position regarding sovereignty and jurisdiction in relation to Gibraltar. We wish to work
for the development of a prosperous socioeconomic area that encompasses the whole of Gibraltar as well as the Campo de Gibraltar region.
At this point I would like to share some thoughts on the future of Europe from the perspective of the presidency of the Council of the European Union, which Spain currently holds. The European Union was born out of a bid for peace on a continent that was devastated and traumatized following two world wars in barely three decades. From the ashes of destruction emerged a firm resolve, namely, that never again would there be war. From the memory of the tragedy was born the determination to shape a shared prosperity, which has provided the European continent with the longest period of peace in its history.
In an attempt to undermine the irrefutable success of that unifying project, some have sought to caricature it by portraying the European Union as a giant with feet of clay, incapable of standing up for itself with any real conviction. Yet. when faced with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and contrary to Putin’s expectations. Europe has decisively responded to Russia’s atrocities in a united way. making it clear that we do not accept that anyone should violate the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. From this rostrum. I once again condemn Russia’s unjustified and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.
As a show of our support. I launched the Spanish European Union presidency right there in Kyiv on 1 July. Spain will continue to stand by Ukraine for as long as it is necessary. But we will also actively work to achieve a fair and lasting peace that restores Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and allows the Ukrainian people to freely determine their own fate.
I believe in a Europe that is at the vanguard of defending global public goods, democracy, labour and social protection and economic openness, a Europe that leads the fight against inequality and the protection of individual rights and public freedoms. That Europe is already here, and it is moving resolutely forward thanks to two essential factors: first, a commitment to a collective agenda that is more supportive, fairer and more inclusive than the one that emerged from the 2008 financial crisis and. secondly, the unanimity and decisiveness with which it has responded to the critical events of these past four years. That is the path along which the European ideal must continue to advance, whatever the challenges.
Europe must lead by example on the climate agenda by delivering on our pledge to reduce emissions, fulfilling international climate financing pledges and expediting the energy transition. It must promote an exemplary migration policy given the hugely significant global problem, which looks likely to increase in scale and severity in the decades to come. We need to control irregular immigration and provide channels for orderly, regular migration, which we clearly need in Europe.
Furthermore. Europe has the responsibility to push globally for a more human-centric and rights-oriented digital transformation. We need to lay the groundwork for the regulation of artificial intelligence, the vast challenges and possibilities of which do not outweigh its hidden risks. In that regard. Spain is committed to supporting the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology with resources and know-how in developing multilateral governance in that area. We would like to host the headquarters of a future international artificial intelligence agency.
In short. Europe needs to perform that role without shutting itself off. Nothing would be more profoundly anti-European than an isolated European Union. We must therefore strengthen partnerships with our transatlantic partners, such as the United States of America and Canada, as well as our Asian. African and Latin American partners.
Spain has always placed a particular emphasis on boosting relations between the European Union and the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean through a new agenda that sets out a strategic relationship with the region. I am confident that the European Union-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States summit will be a genuine turning point that has a lasting impact.
In conclusion, at the beginning of my address I spoke of a brave woman who lost her life in Bakhmut. in Ukraine, while transporting humanitarian aid. Her name was Emma Igual. She was 32 years old. Emma was the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor who lost almost all her family during the Nazi era. She came to Spain from Austria and was adopted by a family from Barcelona. The life of the grandmother and the senseless killing of her granddaughter. Emma, were shaped by events that, in essence, led to the founding and purpose of this institution, namely, to save humanity from the
scourge of war and to reaffirm faith in the dignity and value of the human being. If there is a place in which the story and life of Emma deserve to be told, without a doubt it is here before the General Assembly of the United Nations. Let her example, and the examples set every day by thousands of aid workers around the world, inspire us to do what this critical time requires of us at every crossroads that I mentioned, to let our actions and achievements speak for themselves and to turn our words into deeds. In that way let us honour the memory of those who. like Emma, gave everything, nothing less, to defend the values that inspire this noble Organization.