With an end to the global crisis
finally within reach, it is imperative to make growth
and development our first priority today. In the past
10 years, remarkable progress on the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) has been made. But we
have to work harder. We need to empower individuals
and communities and increase the capacity of economic
and social systems to adapt to the rapid changes of our
complex world.
With regard to the post-2015 development agenda,
we should address the root causes of the ills afflicting
our world rather than limit ourselves to the side effects.
Sustainable development, in line with the outcomes
of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development, is the best possible antidote. In that
conviction, Italy co-facilitated the establishment of the
High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development,
with universal membership. We are also in favour of
reinforcing the Economic and Social Council and of
a partial reform of the United Nations Environment
Programme.
The promotion of sustainable development goes
hand in hand with the spread of democratic principles.
We are in favour of the convergence of the sustainable
development goals and the MDGs after 2015. But
development cannot be simply reduced to economic
growth and statistics. We must go beyond gross
domestic product and pay adequate attention to the
more comprehensive notion of “quality of life”.
Special attention should be paid to the role of
women’s rights and gender equality. Although women
cultivate more than half the food grown in the world, they
represent two thirds of the people who live in poverty
and suffer from hunger. More female participation in
the global economy means more equality and growth.
As the Secretary-General’s report on the work of
the Organization (A/68/1) notes, in the past 13 years
gains have been made in the fight against poverty,
but despite these tangible improvements one in eight
persons worldwide still suffers from malnutrition. Food
security should be a priority area of action. It combines
the need to act locally and globally. It incorporates
some of today’s most crucial issues: a sustainable
relationship between consumption and production,
energy efficiency, and more.
Italy is making a specific contribution to the issue
of food security through Expo 2015 in Milan. The theme
is “Feeding the planet: energy for life”. More than 130
countries have so far agreed to participate. Italy will
use Expo Milan as an opportunity to exchange best
practices on global sustainability in the area of food
security and nutrition. We intend to promote new
partnerships between the private and public sectors. As
I underlined to the heads of the United Nations agencies
based in Rome at a recent meeting, Italy feels that the
time has come to launch a new global initiative on
food. The United Nations participation in Expo 2015
is consequently of great importance. An integrated
approach to development also involves a focus on its
social dimensions.
The projected rise of the world population highlights
one of the most serious problems today. I am referring
to global unemployment, particularly among young
people. This phenomenon affects every part of the world,
including Europe and my country. We want to combine
the measures taken at the national and European levels
to launch our war against unemployment.
Italy deems it important to focus on small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), a true driver for
employment. Such enterprises are well placed to create
jobs for young people and contribute to social stability.
In Europe, 85 per cent of new jobs in the private sector
are created by SMEs. In the employment sector, great
attention must also be given to people with disabilities.
Hundreds of millions of people around the world
become immigrants in a phenomenon that affects
both developed nations and countries of origin. Italy’s
geographic location makes it a port of entry for thousands
of immigrants. At the national level, we respect the
fundamental human rights of immigrants and prosecute
criminals who engage in human trafficking. At the
same time, we have fostered international cooperation
with the countries of origin and of transit.
On this crucial subject, I wish to quote Pope Francis,
who decided to visit the small island of Lampedusa
this summer. He brought a message of support for the
thousands of immigrants who arrive there from Africa
every year. We should all fight what he called the
“globalization of indifference” and feel the suffering of
migrants as our own.
Recognizing that more needs to be done at the
national and international levels, we look forward
to the second summit of the High-level Dialogue on
International Migration and Development, to be held in
New York this October.
Achieving sustainable development requires
stability, security and peace. Since the outbreak of
the conflict in Syria, the Italian Government has
underlined the importance of preserving the role of the
United Nations as the ultimate guardian of peace. At the
same time, we strongly condemn what has taken place
in Syria with regard to chemical weapons. We cannot
be indifferent to blatant violations of fundamental
international rights.
Italy invites all members of the Security Council
and other relevant international stakeholders to spare
no effort in the search for political solutions. That is
why the Italian Government welcomed the Geneva
framework for the elimination of Syrian chemical
weapons. We strongly support the work undertaken
in the Security Council aimed at inducing Syria to
participate in the Chemical Weapons Convention.
We cannot accept the continuous deterioration of
the humanitarian situation in Syria and in neighbouring
countries. Once again, we invite all the parties
involved in the conflict to fully respect international
humanitarian law. There must be effective protection
for humanitarian assistance.
Italy has intensified humanitarian assistance,
particularly for refugees. Italy confirms its pledge
of $30 million for 2013 and intends to provide even
more support to expand the reach of humanitarian
assistance. At the Group of 20 Summit held in Saint
Petersburg, we announced our intention to implement
new humanitarian and emergency initiatives, for an
additional $50 million. On Friday, upon my return to
Rome, I will enact that measure.
We will continue to keep Somalia high on our
agenda. As I confirmed to President Hassan Sheikh
Mohamud a few days ago in Rome, Italy is willing to
help the Somali authorities in their efforts to lay the
foundations of an effective and united federal State.
Together with Ethiopia, Italy has convened a ministerial
meeting of the Intergovernmental Authority on
Development Partners Forum tomorrow, 26 September,
here in New York, to discuss Somalia.
As the top contributor to Libya, Italy is supporting
the country in its stabilization and democratic transition,
and we remain fully committed to cooperation with the
United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).
Before the end of the year, Italy will host the second
international conference on Libya in Rome, which we
are preparing together with the Libyan authorities,
UNSMIL and other partners.
Italy reiterates its strong commitment to the
stabilization of Mali and the Sahel region. At the
national level, we are currently funding training for
border police in Mali and the Niger. We welcome the
holding of the next high-level meeting on the Sahel.
The strategy presented by the Special Envoy of the
Secretary-General, Romano Prodi, is a good example
of increasing efforts and resources.
Italy is the seventh-largest contributor to the general
budget of the United Nations. Since 2006, despite
financial constraints, we have been the top contributor
of United Nations peacekeepers among Western
countries. We are demonstrating our commitment
to peace and stability through our participation in
10 different United Nations peacekeeping missions
worldwide, from the Mediterranean and the Middle
East to Africa and Afghanistan.
Italy is engaged in international initiatives
related to peace and security, such as the Arms Trade
Treaty, which we have already ratified. Other relevant
initiatives include the United Nations Global Counter-
Terrorism Strategy and the United Nations Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime.
Italy believes that respect for human rights is
fundamental to peaceful coexistence among nations.
Our foreign policy will continue to focus on social
and humanitarian affairs and the protection of human
rights. Wherever human rights are at risk, global peace
and security are also at risk.
Italy will continue its efforts to better defend those
most vulnerable to violence and discrimination. Our
actions and our thoughts must focus on the categories
most at risk: women, children, religious and ethnic
minorities, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
persons, human rights defenders and humanitarian
workers.
The recent atrocities in Pakistan once again
illustrate the importance of the issue of religious
tolerance. The General Assembly should never stop
acting to counter religious hatred and fundamentalism.
At the same time, Italy will continue to support
the campaign for a worldwide moratorium on the death
penalty.
In the second half of 2014, Italy will assume the
presidency of the European Union (EU). We want the
EU to be more open to the world. That means more
European foreign, or rather global, policy. It also means
more trade exchanges with the rest of the world. In that
connection, we will host the next summit of the Asia-
Europe Meeting, in Milan in October 2014.
I am convinced that a well-governed Europe
can act as a global player. A good example is the EU
enlargement policy, which succeeded in bringing
stability to the Balkans in a very short time. It is high
time for the EU to rise again to assume a leading role
on the world stage. We in Europe must act now for more
unity and for more effective governance.
On the theme of adapting to a changing world, allow
me to conclude by referring to reform of the Security
Council. As a leading member of the Uniting for
Consensus group, Italy strongly believes that Security
Council reform is absolutely necessary. The adoption of
any such reform, however, will require the consensus of
a large majority of the membership. We need to update
the Security Council to today’s world, increasing its
accountability, transparency and effectiveness. To
bridge the gap between the different models of reform,
all Member States should be ready to engage in the next
round of negotiations with a higher degree of flexibility
and openness to compromise.
We have many challenges ahead. Italy will
contribute to addressing those challenges as an active
member of the international community within a
framework of reinforced global governance. We make
that commitment before the General Assembly, and
we make that commitment before the international
community.