It is indeed a particular honour and pleasure to speak on behalf of the citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia here in the heart of the United Nations at the general debate of the General Assembly.
At the outset, allow me to wish every success to Mr. Dennis Francis. President of the General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session.
Every year at this time, the eyes of the world turn towards the largest gathering at which the political leaders of nations elaborate on their visions for the future. This year, the focus on all of us is perhaps greater than ever before because the lowest common denominator of the emotional state of humankind today is fear — fear of wars, famine, poverty, environmental disasters; fear for the future of our next of kin. It is an undeniable fact that international order has been shaken to its core in various parts of the world.
The aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine continues with unabated and tireless ferocity, in flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and of the principles of international law. This is the biggest security crisis since the Second World War. with global consequences that are felt, more or less, on all continents. With each passing day. the suffering of the Ukrainian people becomes greater, material goods are destroyed and the danger of escalation grows ever more imminent.
We most strongly condemn the aggression against Ukraine, as has been done by a great number of Members of our Organization. We stand for the unconditional withdrawal of Russian occupying troops and respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. The Charter of this world Assembly is crystal clear in that regard — all open issues anywhere in the world must be resolved by peaceful means, with negotiations and dialogue and by renouncing the use of force.
The war in Ukraine is the most blatant but. unfortunately, not the only example of a threat against world peace and security. The planetary security architecture, the basis of which is the Organization, is
especially shaken when a State, a permanent member of the Security Council, illegally attacks another State Member of that same Organization. It was no accident that the Secretary-General recently warned that the risk of a nuclear disaster is today at the highest level since the end of the Cold War. That alert, coming from the highest level of the Organization, should be a wake-up call for all reasonable political leaders and for a global mobilization to preserve peace, which is undoubtedly the greatest value of humanity. It is high time to silence the drums of war. to respect the Charter of the United Nations, guided by respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of States as the fundamental principles and the main raison d’etre of the world Organization.
Peace is the fundament of everything. However, the world is facing challenges of various kinds and addressing them requires not only peace among States, but also mutual trust and cooperation. It is certain that trust, built throughout decades and mostly in this building, has been seriously undermined and that we will need time, effort and. above all. political will to reinstate it. Independent of all differences among us — be they political, economic or cultural — we must act together in the interest of the peace, stability and prosperity of current and future generations. The alternatives to dialogue among nations are frightening, and every delay will again lead us to the same threat, with the difference that the price to be paid then will be much higher.
The war in Ukraine creates a state of general unpredictability and a constant loop of crises, especially in food and energy supply. The shortage of food supplies endangers the poorest and threatens to provoke humanitarian disasters with unprecedented magnitude in many parts of the world. We give our full support to the efforts of the Secretary-General to restore the agreement for export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea. because we find it completely unacceptable to use food and energy as weapons for the realization of military or political objectives.
In parallel with the efforts to achieve the peaceful resolution of conflicts, it is necessary to redouble our efforts to realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Sustainable Development Goals Summit held a few days ago on the sidelines of this year’s general debate is a step in the right direction, but it is crucial to turn words into actions. It is beyond understanding that, in the third decade of the twenty- first century, millions of people are left with their basic human needs unmet. What will our authority as political leaders be when we discuss democracy, human rights and prosperity, while at the same time millions of people do not have access to drinking water, food or education?
Global solidarity is not a novelty idea or a concept that needs special elaboration. I myself come from Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, which, exactly 60 years ago. was struck by a devastating earthquake. Skopje rose from the ashes, among other things, thanks to global solidarity. We learned the hard way how precious a hand extended in times of trouble is. The devastating earthquake in Turkey in February brought us back to the very essence of humanism: vulnerability when faced with natural disasters, but also the primordial need of humans to help the weak and the suffering.
None of us knows what tomorrow will bring, but we do know that we will face all challenges far more efficiently if we use the mechanisms we have already built. Along those lines, it is necessary to address the issue of climate change far more resolutely. Those changes do not acknowledge or recognize borders; therefore, an efficient response absolutely requires joint action.
The region of South-East Europe, where I come from, is facing phenomena unknown to date: so-called supercell storms verging on tornadoes, which are a direct consequence of climate change. Global warming, as the Secretary-General has said, is now becoming global boiling. There is no doubt whatsoever that the world finds itself before an existential challenge, and a successful counter-response is possible only if we rally around a single, global platform.
The necessary instruments, such as the Climate Solidarity Pact, whereby developed economies provide financial and technical support to those in development have already been set; an equitable transition towards a green economy is possible, but only through their adequate implementation. According to the Climate Action Acceleration Agenda, developed countries should not only achieve a level of zero net emissions by 2040. but also keep their promises to the countries in development by doubling the resources for adaptation and funding of the Green Climate Fund.
The greatest threats of the present — geopolitical turbulence, wars, terrorism, climate change and
massive migration waves — are arising at a time when international organizations and the entire multilateral system are going through an identity or a functionality crisis, and most often, both. The only real answer can be renewed and reinforced multilateralism that will value the individual needs of every country, but will also offer a clear vision of the big picture, of the things uniting us and of the greater good. There is no better place for that joint endeavour than the United Nations.
One urgent need of humankind today is to restore predictability, early warning and prevention in international relations. It is certain that a prerequisite to that are internal reforms of the United Nations system, with respect for the principle of greater representation and inclusiveness, in order to reflect the reality of the world today. Moreover, it is necessary to establish mechanisms for better functionality while also reducing the options for paralysing the work of the Organization. In that context, we offer our full support to the ministerial meeting convened in preparation for the Summit of the Future, to be held in 2024.
Of course, the need remains to solve old problems while addressing new challenges, although some, like fake news and cyberthreats, have already become part of our lives. Some others, although of newer date, such as artificial intelligence, are already causing major changes in our lives. There should be no doubt in our minds that without a joint pact for the future, no country or group of countries will have the potential to offer or implement responses to those challenges alone.
Since day one of our independence, more than 30 years ago. my country has been manifesting, in the best possible way. its attachment to the principles of peace, profound regional cooperation and the resolution of open issues by means of dialogue. In 1991. we started a process of internal democratic maturation by affirming the rights of ethnic communities to the highest degree possible and fostering a culture of dialogue when resolving internal issues, but also in the relations with our neighbours. We accepted compromise as a way of solving problems, not as an expression of weakness but. on the contrary, as an expression of self-confidence in our ability to protect our own interests without damaging the interests of others.
Respecting the principles that we believe in. we continue to make an active contribution to peace, stability, democratic values, sustainable development and economic prosperity. This year, we hold the chairpersonship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the largest regional security organization, at a time of unprecedented challenges. Even in such conditions, we strive to maintain the relevance of the Organization, led by the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and the Helsinki Final Act.
We remain among the biggest promoters of regional cooperation in South-East Europe, working at the same time on the fulfilment of the criteria for membership of the European Union, not later than 2030. There is no doubt in our mind that strengthening the democratic institutions, in continuity and with the guaranteed equity of all citizens is the only possible way to a greater cohesion in a multiethnic society.
At the beginning of my statement. I mentioned that fear of the future is perhaps the predominant feeling today. However, that must not be accepted as normal. We political leaders gathered here today have a responsibility to substitute that feeling of fear with one of hope and faith in a more just world. A precondition to that is to achieve, as soon as possible, a renewed agreement for respecting the fundamental values and humanistic ideals for which the Organization was established seventy-eight years ago.