Let me start by
congratulating Ambassador Deiss on his election to the
presidency of the General Assembly. I assure him of
Finland’s full support for his leadership.
Climate issues and the recent financial, economic
and food crises call for change. The world needs an
understanding of global development that is
economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.
Both developing and developed countries wish for
economic growth. But the growth needs to be green,
equitable and inclusive. It must create jobs and
promote opportunities for decent work and a better life
for everyone.
Basic social protection is everyone’s right and an
important element of sustainable development. But the
most vulnerable need our special attention. We need to
do much more to combat discrimination and exclusion.
Current consumption and production patterns
need to be revised in many countries. In the words of
Mahatma Gandhi, there is enough in the world for
everyone’s need, but there cannot be enough for
everybody’s greed. Our stocktaking of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) showed that there has
been progress but that it remains uneven. We agreed to
redouble our efforts. The MDGs must become part of
our everyday work, and we all need to deliver on our
commitments. The Millennium Development Goals are
reachable by the year 2015. What we want, we can
reach.
Our common work with the ecological welfare of
the world has continued. Promoting biodiversity is
vital for sustaining the ecosystems that our lives
depend on. Preventing the loss of biodiversity is of
great importance for climate change mitigation,
ensuring food and water security and eradicating
poverty. The high-level meeting as a contribution to the
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International Year of Biodiversity, confirming our
commitment to that goal, was a good step forward.
The impacts of climate change are more and more
visible and affect us all around the globe. Today I want
to focus on the special needs and vulnerabilities of
small island developing States and the implementation
of the Mauritius Strategy. Climate change is a hard
reality for them. Mitigating and adapting to its effects
is crucial for their survival.
Finland is committed to a new, ambitious climate
agreement. All of us must work hard to ensure a global
deal and commit to building a sustainable future, thus
responding to what the Secretary-General so
pertinently calls the 50-50-50 challenge. In order to
reach our goals, we must mobilize all available
resources. Cooperation to tackle climate change must
involve States, non-governmental organizations, the
private sector and all of our fellow global citizens.
Lasting solutions to global challenges cannot be
found without the active participation of women in
decision-making at all levels. Women are agents of
change and development. Investing in women and girls
has a vital effect on the eradication of poverty and
sustained economic growth. Having heard the
discussions this week, I am happy to conclude that
there has clearly been a breakthrough in this respect. I
could even call it mainstreaming. This is a good basis
to continue from. Women and men together can
achieve truly sustainable development.
The United Nations has to lead global efforts to
promote a new blueprint for sustainable growth and
low-carbon prosperity. I am honoured to co-chair the
Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Global
Sustainability together with my colleague, President
Jacob Zuma of South Africa. We will, I promise, work
hard.
All human rights are equally important and must
be enjoyed by everyone without discrimination. The
protection and promotion of human rights must be an
integral part of peacebuilding and crisis management.
In combating impunity, justice must always go
hand in hand with peace efforts. Finland firmly
supports the International Criminal Court in its work in
bringing to justice those responsible for the most
serious crimes. We call on all States parties to the
Rome Statute to uphold their international legal
obligations under the Statute.
The Human Rights Council was created in 2006
to promote the respect for human rights, and its
functioning will now be reviewed. To achieve tangible
results, the Human Rights Council needs effective
tools. The independent thematic country-specific
mandates continue to be vital in order to achieve the
full implementation of human rights for all.
The commitment of all the United Nations
Member States to strengthen the promotion of women’s
rights, gender equality and gender mainstreaming is
welcome. Finland strongly supports the United Nations
Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of
Women (UN Women) and would like to congratulate
President Michelle Bachelet on her appointment. We
must ensure that UN Women becomes a strong
advocate and actor for women’s rights throughout the
work of the United Nations.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of Security
Council resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace
and security. Concrete improvements have been made,
but we must step up our efforts to further turn the
objectives into practice. National action plans are
valuable tools for implementing the resolution. Finland
completed its own plan in 2008, and we have now
started a twinning initiative with Kenya.
We need a comprehensive approach which
integrates both long-term development programmes
and conflict resolution. In our common efforts to
prevent and resolve conflicts, the contribution of
regional organizations is valuable. Civil society can
also play a role. Finland supports the development of
the peace mediation activities of the United Nations.
After several rounds of proximity talks in the
Middle East, the parties started direct talks in
September. The international community has welcomed
this wise decision. We now stand ready to give our
support whenever needed.
Finland is greatly encouraged by the New START
agreement and by the outcomes of the Nuclear Security
Summit, held in Washington, and the Review
Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-
Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The world
community must seize the moment. Global and
bilateral efforts must be continued towards a world
without nuclear weapons.
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The United Nations remains the only forum
where we can solve our common problems together.
Therefore, we must continue to reform our
Organization and increase its effectiveness without
forgetting our own responsibilities as Member States.
This is absolutely necessary, because we need to tackle
the food crisis, the financial crisis, various kinds of
natural disasters, contagious diseases, terrorism and
armed conflicts in different parts of the world, as well
as meeting our common challenge of climate change.
Combating everyday crises and working, at the
same time, for sustainable development is a huge task.
But no other choice has been given to us. That is why
we have to combine our efforts for a better world —
and do it now.