The world is undergoing
profound changes. Globalization is progressing at an
unprecedented speed. The boundaries between
domestic and foreign policy are evolving.
Developments in one region of the world may trigger
unintended actions in other parts of the world. New
actors — for good or for bad — have stepped on to the
international scene. The world is now on the way to
recovery from the financial and economic crises of
recent years. More structural challenges, such as
climate change, poverty and demographic projections,
as well as new security threats, however, will
increasingly impact the global agenda. If we are to
respond to such challenges, we need an effective
multilateral system founded on universal rules and
values and on global legitimacy. Here, we turn to the
United Nations.
With the Lisbon Treaty in force, the European
Union has established the necessary structures to take
on the challenges of the twenty-first century and has
enhanced its capacity as a global player. We look
forward to seeing this reflected in the future position of
the European Union in the United Nations, and we
regret that it has not been possible to come to an
agreement on this issue (see A/64/PV.122). The
European Union will retain observer status at the
General Assembly. The main effect of the draft
resolution will be to enable the European Union’s new
permanent interlocutors to represent the European
Union effectively in the General Assembly, speaking
on behalf of the European Union and of its member
States, as agreed by them. The European Union has a
clear commitment to effective multilateralism, with the
United Nations at its core.
One of the most significant global challenges
today is to fulfil the promises of the Millennium
Declaration (resolution 55/2) for a better world for
everyone. With last week’s Millennium Development
Goals summit, a new momentum has been built — a
momentum for action, for the implementation of
commitments and for focusing our common efforts to
reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by
2015. Five years is not a long time, especially when we
also need to overcome the effects of the financial and
economic crisis. But our task is clear. We must make
the MDGs a reality for all. We need to accelerate
progress and scale up our efforts where approaches
have proven to be successful. We have to be
innovative. Developing countries must focus their
political will, administrative capacity and budgetary
resources on reaching the MDGs, while we as donors
must live up to and fulfil our official development
assistance commitments.
We have clear evidence that fragile and conflict-
affected countries are lagging behind the most with
regard to the achievement of the MDGs. The
comparative advantage of the United Nations system
and its unique possibilities in combining humanitarian,
peacekeeping, peacebuilding, recovery and development
approaches are especially relevant in relation to these
countries. We strongly encourage the ongoing efforts to
strengthen the United Nations role in this regard. We
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welcome the Secretary-General’s steps to strengthen
the peacebuilding architecture, but more work is
needed in areas such as strengthened integrated
missions, improving in-country leadership, and
strengthening the Peacebuilding Support Office in
order to forward the peacebuilding agenda.
Green growth is an important challenge that
offers new opportunities for employment, innovation
and wealth creation in developed and developing
countries alike. Together, we must strive to optimize
resource efficiency and apply green technologies.
Renewable energy is a good example of how new
technologies can contribute to development by
providing secure, sustainable and affordable energy to
millions of people. Green growth is not an obstacle to
development but an opportunity. We must unite our
efforts to take this agenda forward in the immediate
future and in preparation for the United Nations
Conference on Sustainable Development in May 2012.
Climate change continues to be one of the
greatest and most pressing challenges of our time, and
we are already starting to experience the consequences —
from melting icecaps in the Arctic, heatwaves in Russia
and floods in Pakistan to droughts in Africa. It
concerns all of us, and concerted and urgent action is
needed. The Copenhagen Accord contains delicate
political compromises, paving the way for eventually
reaching a global, legally binding international
agreement within the United Nations framework. More
than 130 countries, covering more than 80 per cent of
global emissions, have now associated themselves with
the Accord reached in Copenhagen in December last
year. We underline the importance of the commitments
on fast-start financing, which must be fulfilled. We are
looking forward to the sixteenth Conference of the
Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change in Cancún, Mexico, and hoping for
a successful outcome that will significantly advance
negotiations on climate change.
In the ever more interdependent and ever more
uncertain world we live in, it is of priority to uphold
the principles, objectives, universal rights and
fundamental values that are enshrined in the United
Nations Charter and that form the very basis for global
stability, development and global prosperity.
Strengthening the mutual understanding between
cultures is an important challenge and a valuable
opportunity for all of us.
During the past month, we have witnessed just
how important it is to maintain mutual respect and
understanding. As history has taught us, there are
always those who are ready to do the unthinkable in
order to catch the attention of the international media.
The threats to burn the Koran in Florida were a
particularly repulsive example of this phenomenon. We
strongly condemn such acts, but as we have learned,
the more attention we give such individual acts of
provocation, the more they will multiply. We must
never allow such acts to steer our steps from the path
of dialogue. We must stand firmly and jointly against
any call to strife and violence.
States must ensure the human rights and
fundamental freedoms of their citizens in order for
each individual to take an active part in shaping his or
her own future to the benefit and prosperity of all.
Women’s rights and gender issues are an essential part
of human rights. The women’s rights agenda supports
and strengthens the overall effort of human rights’
implementation. International peace and security rest
upon the ability and willingness of States to ensure the
protection of their populations from human rights
violations and atrocity crimes.
In this context, I welcome the ongoing debate
among Member States on the responsibility to protect.
Denmark will take an active part in the further
development of this concept, which provides the
framework for a comprehensive approach. It is closely
linked to another key Danish priority — that of
strengthening the rule of law. Be it at the global,
regional or national level, the rule of law provides
transparency and accountability and thereby leads to
better governance. The establishment of the office of
Ombudsperson in relation to the Security Council
Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267
(1999) was a successful example of our work at the
global level.
Piracy off the coast of Somalia presents a
regional challenge that Denmark — through its naval
efforts off Somalia and its chairmanship of the legal
working group of the Contact Group on Piracy off the
Coast of Somalia — is committed to meeting. At the
national level Denmark, in close cooperation with
partner countries, provides hundreds of millions of
dollars to strengthen legal systems and judicial
capacities throughout the world. Let me stress here that
our support for the International Criminal Court in no
way springs from a wish for the Court to prosecute all
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international crimes. National jurisdictions are almost
always better placed to combat impunity, and through
our rule of law programmes we seek to promote true
national ownership and complementarity for those able
and willing to face the hard choices.
The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
is the most serious danger emanating from
globalization. Following many years of deadlock,
however, 2010 has been a year of progress. We
welcome the international momentum in dealing with
the issue of nuclear weapons as reflected in the New
START agreement between the United States and the
Russian Federation, the nuclear summit and, notably,
the results of the Review Conference of the States
Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons (NPT) here in New York in May. It is
important that all States parties commit to
implementing the measures of the NPT action plan.
The issue of non-proliferation remains high on
the agenda, not least due to our deepening concerns
about the allegedly peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear
programme. With the adoption of Security Council
resolution 1929 (2010), the international community
has sent a clear signal to the Iranian leadership that we
do not tolerate the continuous and increasingly grave
flouting of Iran’s international obligations. It is hoped
that this resolution will help to convince Iran to change
its current path and enter into negotiations.
I should like to take this opportunity to welcome
the parliamentary elections in Afghanistan earlier this
month, which represent yet another step on
Afghanistan’s road towards democracy. The elections
came after the successful outcome of the Kabul
Conference. We look forward to the implementation of
the Conference initiatives leading to the transition to
full Afghan ownership in all areas.
The international community and the United
Nations must continue to play a supporting role in
Afghanistan in the years to come. In this context,
Denmark believes there needs to be a coordinated
civilian and military engagement in Afghanistan as a
precondition for success. The regional aspects also
need to be addressed. In this context, my thoughts go
to the people and the Government of Pakistan, who
have not only experienced sacrifices due to terrorism,
but also heavy losses and suffering due to the
unprecedented flooding of the country. Denmark has
committed more than $45 million in assistance to
Pakistan so far this year.
Denmark welcomes the recent relaunch of direct
negotiations between the leaders of Israel and the
Palestinian Authority on reaching an agreement on all
the core issues within one year. We also welcome the
Quartet’s statement encouraging these negotiations.
They will be difficult, but we believe that an agreement
is possible and that it is in the interest not only of
Israelis and Palestinians, but also of the peoples in the
region and beyond. We strongly support the United
States efforts to facilitate the negotiations, and we call
on the parties to negotiate in good faith and to live up
to their obligations. The direct peace talks actualize the
importance of enhanced international political and
financial support for Palestinian State-building.
Denmark and the European Union stand ready to assist
in fulfilling the goals of two States for two peoples
living side by side in peace and security.
Peace needs to be secured in all parts of the
world. In this context, the implementation of the 2005
Comprehensive Peace Agreement is vital to the future
of the Sudan. The international community needs to
support the referendum process to secure inclusive,
free and transparent elections. Without prejudging the
outcome of the referendum, I should like to stress the
importance of developing institutional capacity and of
creating more self-sustainability in South Sudan.
Likewise, we are very concerned about the
humanitarian situation in many parts of the country.
Focus should be on securing access to all areas for
humanitarian workers and international peacekeepers.
In Somalia, the focus must be on the need to support
the Transitional Federal Government and improve the
coordination of assistance, including within the United
Nations system.
The best way to deal with these global challenges
is through an effective and strong multilateral system —
through a strong United Nations system. The ability of
the United Nations effectively and efficiently to deal
with the global challenges of the twenty-first century
must be improved. Continuing the paths of system-
wide coherence and delivering as one is part of that.
Reforms of the intergovernmental machinery and of the
workings of the Secretariat must also be pursued. We
welcome the ongoing intergovernmental negotiations
on Security Council reform aimed at changing the
membership in order to reflect the world of today. Let
me take this opportunity to welcome the establishment
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of UN Women and the appointment of Ms. Michelle
Bachelet of Chile as the first Under-Secretary-General
and head of that agency. We have high expectations
that the new entity will contribute to streamlining in
the area of gender, women’s rights and development
throughout the United Nations system.
In the area of peacekeeping we commend
initiatives, such as New Horizon, to readjust United
Nations peacekeeping efforts in light of the experiences
gathered during the last decade of immense growth in
United Nations peacekeeping operations.
Let me conclude by emphasizing that today’s
world is more complex than ever. But on so many
issues, countries want to work together towards long-
lasting solutions. More often than not, they turn to the
United Nations to find answers. They turn to an
international body whose strength has been and still is
based on its unique global legitimacy. Hence they, and
we, expect the United Nations to live up to
expectations, to perform, to show leadership and to
push the envelope. Global challenges call for global
answers. The United Nations must live up to this call,
fulfilling the aspirations of the Charter. No less will do
for the twenty-first century.