I bring to you, Mr. President,
and through you to all representatives the warm
greetings and good wishes of His Majesty Jigme Khesar
Namgyel Wangchuck. Allow me also to congratulate
you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the
General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session. I assure
you of my delegation’s full support and cooperation as
you steer the important work of this session.
I am deeply honoured to have the opportunity to
address the Assembly for the first time. I do so owing
to the mandate accorded by the people of Bhutan to the
People’s Democratic Party at the second parliamentary
elections held this summer.
The second parliamentary elections were yet
another milestone on the path of democracy that Bhutan
chose to undertake five years ago. In 2008 there were
two political parties, whereas four parties contested this
year’s elections. The people of Bhutan voted for change
and ushered in a new Government. These, I believe,
are signs of a vibrant democracy enabling the people
of Bhutan to exercise their will through the ballot box.
We know that democracy needs to go beyond
elections. We will therefore continually work to
strengthen democratic institutions, the rule of law, an
independent judiciary, a vibrant civil society, an open
and free media and, above all, a democratic culture that
enables people to voice their aspirations and to live
with dignity, equality and prosperity. As we embark
on a new phase in our relatively young democracy, we
do so in full confidence that democracy in Bhutan is
irreversible and on a firm footing. In this journey, we
count on the support of our friends and the international
community.
We meet at a time of extraordinary changes. While
some have been able to achieve tremendous economic
growth and prosperity, millions of people continue
to languish in the inhuman depths of poverty. Our
relentless drive for economic growth has come at the
cost of our environment. The climate is changing.
Natural disasters hit us with increasing frequency
and intensity. The natural question then is, how do we
advance economic growth, promote societal progress
and prosperity within the confines of nature? How do
we lift the millions of people out of the vicious circle of
poverty? How can we ensure that we leave a planet safe
and secure for our children and grandchildren?
These, I believe, are the key questions that confront
us all. Although we come from different parts of the
globe, with our unique historical backgrounds and
cultural experiences, we are bound by our shared future.
In today’s interconnected and globalized world, we
can prevail only if we come together as global citizens
and work to find solutions for the sake of our common
future. In this endeavour, Mr. President, as you have
rightly stated, failure is not an option.
My delegation welcomes the theme “The post-2015
development agenda: setting the stage” for this general
debate. The question of the post-2015 development
agenda is important, especially for the least developed
and landlocked countries, which in many respects have
the most at stake. It presents the opportunity for all
countries to share their experiences and the kind of
development agenda that they would like to see in the
post-2015 era.
As we set the stage for a development agenda
beyond 2015, the Millennium Declaration (resolution
52/2) provides a strong foundation. In our search for
a new development agenda we must not forget the
important principles set out in the Declaration, but must
emphasize their continued relevance. The Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) inspired nations and a
whole generation to improve the lives of many people by
creating synergies between nations and among people.
All efforts must be made to accelerate the realization of
the MDGs during their last mile.
The outcome document of the United Nations
Conference on Sustainable Development (resolution
66/288, annex) also outlined important principles on
which the post-2015 development agenda should be
built. These principles must guide our efforts to come
up with a holistic and transformative development
agenda that puts people at the centre of development
and brings about shared prosperity and happiness to
all. Within this broader vision, poverty eradication
must form a central theme of the post-2015 agenda. For
Bhutan, the alleviation of poverty remains a challenge
and features as a key priority in the current eleventh
five-year development plan.
Equally important is the need to bring about
inclusive development, which is one of the priority
objectives of the Royal Government of Bhutan.
Targeted interventions are being planned to promote
the livelihoods of the poorest and most vulnerable
communities in Bhutan.
The empowerment of women should constitute
one of the main building blocks of the post-2015
development agenda. Any development agenda will fall
short if it does not include the empowerment of women
as a key component.
Issues related to youth and to providing gainful
employment to a growing population is one of the
critical challenges that my country continues to face.
It is therefore vitally important that the post-2015
development agenda address the issues of youth, as
they are the key stakeholders of that era.
I cannot overemphasize the importance of a
strong means of implementation in the post-2015
development agenda. Without it, the capacity of
developing and least developed countries to realize the
post-2015 development priorities will remain severely
challenged. At the intergovernmental level, Bhutan
will continue its close engagement in the work of the
Open Working Group on Sustainable Development
Goals, on which it is pleased to serve as a member. We
look forward to contributing to the intergovernmental
negotiations towards the elaboration of a single post-
2015 development agenda.
The subject of development inevitably leads me to
refer to my country’s experience, in which it is guided
by the development philosophy of Gross National
Happiness, a vision that has given character to my
country. Happiness and development have come to
mean many things, and there are indeed many experts
and a rich body of literature on the subject. This body
also adopted resolution 65/309, on happiness, at its
sixty-fifth session, and resolution 66/281 proclaiming
20 March as the International Day of Happiness, at its
sixty-sixth session.
Happiness as a development policy must relate to
individuals as well as to Governments. It is the sacred
responsibility of Governments to ensure that conditions
are created for its citizens to pursue their individual
happiness within the larger aspirations of the country.
All our achievements, including the peaceful transition
to a democracy in 2008, as well as the progress realized
in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, have
been as a result of embarking on a people-centred
development approach.
Encouraged by our positive national experience,
Bhutan has facilitated efforts to elaborate a holistic
approach to development. We intend to share the
findings with Member States and the wider international
community at an appropriate time. We hope that this
modest contribution will serve as a useful input to the
ongoing discussions on the post-2015 development
agenda.
While Bhutan has made significant socioeconomic
progress, we face many challenges and vulnerabilities,
being both a landlocked and a least developed country.
Our economy remains import-driven and dependent
on a single export commodity. Poverty, youth
unemployment, natural disasters and vulnerability to
adverse impacts of climate change, including glacial
lake outburst floods, pose challenges. We will therefore
continue to count on external support and assistance as
we work towards achieving our long-cherished goal of
self-reliance and graduation from the least developed
country category.
We recognize that a vibrant democracy should be
built on a strong economy, which is essential to bring
about improvement in the lives of the people. Therefore,
in the eleventh Five-Year Development Plan, the main
thrust will be to promote prosperity for all through
inclusive social development, accelerated green
economic development and infrastructure development.
The United Nations, with its global scope and
mandate, remains the only universal organization that
can forge a global coordinated response to the pressing
challenges in areas ranging from peace and security to
development. The challenges of our times are, however,
testing the United Nations and the resolve of its Member
States to work together. Every effort must be made to
strengthen the role and efficacy of a United Nations that
is just, democratic and representative and allows space
for its Members, including the smallest, to participate
fully in its work. That is the key to the legitimacy of an
effective multilateral system.
We remain hopeful that under your able leadership,
Sir, the sixty-eighth session will further advance work
on the reform of the United Nations. The General
Assembly must be revitalized and its role strengthened.
The membership of the Security Council in both the
permanent and the non-permanent categories must
be expanded to bring it into line with contemporary
realities and to make the Council a more representative
body.
These are challenging times indeed. It falls upon
us to seek the wisdom of those who created this great
institution to work together in the spirit of international
cooperation in solving international problems. We have
the opportunity not only to strengthen the role of the
United Nations and advance multilateralism, but also to
define a holistic development agenda that will respond
to the universal aspiration for happiness.