Sweden

May I start by pointing out that Sweden aligns itself fully with the written statement of the European Union (EU), which will soon be distributed to all Member States. By signing the Charter of the United Nations we have all pledged to combine our efforts towards the shared goals of international peace and security, human rights, respect for international law, and economic and social advancement. Implicit in that pledge is the principle of shared responsibility. If we are to move beyond divisions to find common solutions to global problems, every country will need to assume its share of responsibility. Last week, world leaders met in this room to confirm their determination to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Progress made over the 10 years since the adoption of the Millennium Declaration has been mixed. The overall 37 10-55276 trend is positive, but critical areas are lagging behind. This is particularly true for Goal 5 on maternal health. Sweden will continue to do its part to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and is one of the countries contributing the largest share of its national income as official development assistance. But development assistance can only complement — and never replace — development efforts based on genuine national ownership. Thus, we have a shared responsibility, developed and developing countries alike, to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. The development and prosperity of poor countries to a large extent depend on their ability to integrate into the global economy. The fact that protectionism has largely been kept at bay during the most severe recession since the 1930s is therefore a major achievement. Robust international rules for open trade and investment are key. Free trade benefits rich and poor countries alike. The regions that have been most successful in eradicating poverty are also those where countries trade the most. In order to strengthen the trading capacity of the poorest countries, aid for trade can play an important role. Completion of the Doha Round must remain a shared first priority, but should not prevent complementary free trade and investment arrangements. The devastating natural disasters in Haiti and Pakistan have underlined the importance of a well- functioning and well-coordinated international humanitarian system. It is only through joint efforts and shared responsibility that the international community can ensure quick and effective responses to people in need. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) plays a crucial role in this respect. Sadly, we see a global trend of increasing humanitarian needs. It is therefore of utmost importance that we continue to strengthen the humanitarian system as a whole, in particular OCHA. In parallel, we need to focus more on preparedness and prevention to reduce long-term vulnerability to disasters. Climate change is clearly one of the greatest challenges of our generation, affecting the world and particularly poor countries in unpredictable and devastating ways. Even if we meet the two-degree target set by the United Nations, disasters will continue to be a reality. Developed and developing countries alike share the responsibility to ward off this threat to our planet by working towards concrete climate goals. Developed countries, as major emitters, bear a large share of the responsibility for reducing emissions and for providing funding, but actions must be taken by all countries. The example of Sweden shows that it is possible to achieve both emissions reductions and economic growth — there is no contradiction. Together we have a shared responsibility as the guardians of human rights, enshrined in the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration and the relevant conventions. Without respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, all other progress will be incomplete. The ultimate responsibility lies with States. It is for us to put ideals into practice. The Human Rights Council needs to use all its tools to address the substance of its mandate: human rights violations. For that Council to be relevant, its members must meet the membership criteria of fulfilling their international human rights obligations. Much remains to be done. The death penalty continues to be applied extensively across the world, in some cases even against juveniles, and often without a credible legal process. As we have recently seen, in some countries a woman can even be sentenced to death by stoning for alleged adultery, and both men and women can be executed for no other reason than their sexual orientation. The responsibility to stop such barbaric acts lies firmly with us, the governments. Gender equality remains one of the greatest challenges to human rights and democracy. We therefore welcome the establishment of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and believe it will further the cause of gender equality. Democracy and human rights are not just mutually supporting; one cannot be said to truly exist without the other. The right to participate in a democratic system of government is indeed in itself a human right. Although we have seen democracy spread to new countries, a large part of the world’s population is still denied the right to participate in free elections. We call upon the Government of Myanmar to make its November election free, fair and inclusive. In this context, we reiterate our call for the release of the political prisoners and detainees, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Freedom of expression is a core human right and a prerequisite of democracy. In this era of information technology, communication has been revolutionized. New technologies can assist in making Governments more transparent and can stimulate citizens to take a 10-55276 38 more active role in the democratic governance of their countries. Yet, technology alone cannot make information and expression of opinion free. Access to technology is needed as a catalyst for human rights. The harassment and jailing of journalists and bloggers must stop. The situation in countries such as China, Viet Nam, Egypt, Myanmar, Cuba, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Eritrea and Iran is deeply worrying. It is important that the international community address the issue of violations of freedom of expression, also in connection with new technologies and with greater vigour than in the past. Sweden is concerned about continued human rights violations in the Sudan, not least in Darfur. Full cooperation with the International Criminal Court is an obligation under international law. The upcoming referendum on the status of Southern Sudan will be of crucial importance to the country’s future. We must spare no effort to make sure that it is credible and to support the parties in reaching an agreement on post- referendum arrangements. In this process the United Nations has a key role to play, together with the African Union. The recently reported cases of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with shocking news of hundreds of rapes of women and children, are not isolated incidents. They are part of a pattern of conflict-related crimes that have been carried out with impunity over many years. As so often in conflict situations, women and children are the most vulnerable groups; as so often in peace processes, women are the most ignored. A lasting peace calls for the empowerment and equal participation of women in negotiations and decision-making. Lasting peace can never be achieved while there is impunity. It is high time to fully implement Security Council resolutions 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security, and 1820 (2008), on sexual violence in conflict situations. Sweden welcomes the appointment of a Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict. The international community has agreed on the responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. We need to intensify our efforts and develop the right tools to ensure the full realization of the responsibility to protect, both as sovereign States and as part of the international community. Sweden fully supports the Secretary-General’s efforts to strengthen the early warning capability within the Secretariat. Few aspects of our cooperation through the United Nations illustrate shared responsibility better than our joint role in preventing and managing conflicts, and keeping and building sustainable peace. Important steps have been taken to improve global peacekeeping. We welcome the New Horizon Initiative as a way of further enhancing the capability of the United Nations to conduct demanding and complex peacekeeping missions worldwide. Much work remains to be done in the areas of conflict prevention and peacebuilding. We need to increase the capacity of the United Nations to help countries in transition from war to lasting peace, and to provide relevant support — not least through the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund — for their efforts to foster peace and rebuild State and society. Similarly, the United Nations must have the right tools to help prevent countries from lapsing into conflict in the first place. This is a central challenge for the United Nations and a key priority for the coming decade. We welcome the increasingly important role that the African Union plays, not least in peacekeeping operations in Africa. Cooperation between the African Union and both the United Nations and the European Union has been important in both the Sudan and Somalia. Earlier this year, Sweden led the European Union’s anti-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia, a mission that provides security for humanitarian transports of the World Food Programme into Somalia. Furthermore, the European Union, in close cooperation with the African Union, is conducting training in Uganda of the Transitional Federal Government security forces. The African Union has made a courageous and considerable contribution to security in Mogadishu. Yet over the past year we have witnessed some of the most violent fighting in Mogadishu and in parts of south-central Somalia. Together with the Transitional Federal Institutions, we now need to prepare and plan for the end of the transitional arrangements by August next year. In this process, strong United Nations leadership will be crucial. The United Nations plays a crucial role in the efforts of the international community to contribute to secure, stable and democratic development in Afghanistan. At the Kabul International Conference on Afghanistan, held in July, there was a renewed commitment by the Afghan authorities and the 39 10-55276 international community to enhance national ownership in this process. Together, the United Nations, the European Union and other international actors have to show continued strong resolve in assisting the Afghan people in building a more peaceful and democratic society. To this effect, Sweden will continue to contribute to civilian and military operations in Afghanistan, while increasing our development assistance. In the Middle East the responsibility for the success of direct negotiations lies with the two parties. But we all share an interest in, and must contribute to, a two-State solution with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security. We deeply regret the Israeli decision not to extend the moratorium on settlements. The context of direct negotiations, as stated in European Union Council conclusions, must be that negotiations should be based on the pre-1967 borders, that settlements are illegal, that all final status issues are to be included in the negotiations — including the status of Jerusalem as capital of two States — and that both parties are to refrain from provocative actions. We strive for a world without nuclear weapons. World leaders have made significant progress in disarmament and non-proliferation efforts in the past year. The New START agreement is of great importance, but there is scope for further reductions, not least of non-strategic nuclear arsenals. The spread of nuclear weapons must be stopped. The Action Plan adopted at the Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in May, covering the three mutually reinforcing pillars of the NPT, must be implemented and fully respected. The early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is as urgent as ever. The unacceptable deadlock in the Conference on Disarmament must come to an end. We are deeply concerned that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has continued its withdrawal from the NPT, even having tested two nuclear devices, and that Iran has been conducting activities in violation of its NPT commitments. It is of vital importance that commitments under the NPT be honoured. The control of conventional arms is also an urgent priority. The illicit or uncontrolled spread of such weapons contributes to regional and international instability, maiming and killing thousands. We must seize the opportunity and strive together to find the political will to agree on regulating mechanisms, such as is currently being discussed in the form of an arms trade treaty. The European Union is a strong supporter of the United Nations. Following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the EU has established new permanent structures for its external representation, taking over functions previously carried out by the rotating presidency. Ensuring that the EU can continue to contribute effectively to the work of the United Nations requires allowing its representatives to participate actively in its proceedings in the capacity of observer. We are looking forward to continued cooperation with a view to ensuring the adoption of a resolution to that effect as soon as possible. Our countries are interconnected today in an unprecedented way. In a globalized world, problems such as climate change, natural disasters, disease, drugs, terrorism and conflicts take on new proportions. At the same time the alleviation of poverty, the fight for human rights and democracy, and economic development remain as relevant as ever. We need to cooperate in global structures and engage in various forms of global governance to meet these challenges. The United Nations is the only world body offering a unique forum to address these problems in a coordinated way. We need to continue to reform the United Nations in order for it to fulfil its functions and remain relevant. Only when every country assumes its share of responsibility can the United Nations achieve its full potential. Sweden will continue to be a strong supporter of the United Nations and will assume its share of our common responsibility.