Denmark

At this moment in time, major economic and environmental challenges are giving rise to increasing global concerns and impacting people all over this planet. To meet those challenges effectively, we need, more than ever, a dynamic and proactive multilateral system. We need the United Nations to provide global answers to global challenges. In less than three months, we will meet again in Copenhagen to seal the deal on climate change. The effects of climate change are increasingly felt all over the world, not least in developing countries, and the whole world is looking to us for answers. And answers we must provide — new directions for the future, transformational changes in the way we do business and a new paradigm for growth and development. In this respect, I do welcome the leadership of the Secretary-General as demonstrated by his call for a Summit on Climate Change a few days ago and by his concluding remarks on that occasion. The message is clear: we must act now to avoid potentially disastrous changes in the global climate. The focus in Copenhagen three months from now will be on three deliverables. First, we must agree on a common goal for a significant reduction in global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and we must set clear targets for both medium and longer term. Secondly, we must agree on a pathway towards achieving these targets. And, thirdly, we must set in motion the policies and measures to sustain our efforts on that pathway. Reducing CO2 emissions is a challenge for industrialized countries, emerging economies and developing countries alike. There is no contradiction between economic growth and ambitious policies to address climate change. Pursuing a green economy is possible, as shown by the example of, among others, my own country. And, in this context, it is also important to keep in mind the security risks emanating from climate change in all parts of the world. I welcome the Secretary-General’s recent report on this issue entitled “Climate change and its possible security implications” (A/64/350), and look forward to further deliberations on this topic. The ongoing financial and economic crisis is reversing hard-won progress in developing countries striving to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The international community must assist the poorest of those countries in mitigating the immediate effects of the crisis, while at the same time ensuring that we do not lose sight of the longer-term challenges in relation to the MDGs and the climate change agenda. There is an imminent risk that the economic crisis will lead to the overall stagnation — or even the reduction — of official development assistance. That is a challenge we must counter and overcome, and it is more crucial than ever that all donors speed up delivery on their aid commitments. 31 09-53165 African countries, in particular, are facing significant obstacles in their efforts to achieve the MDGs. As recommended by the Africa Commission and the MDG3 Global Call to Action, both initiated by the Government of Denmark, there is a need to focus strongly on employment for young people, economic empowerment of women and private sector-led economic growth. Renewed focus on those policy areas will also be essential in coping with the economic crisis and its impact on the continent. As we embark on the final stage towards 2015, the upcoming 2010 MDG Summit gives us an important opportunity to identify means to speed up achievement of the MDGs. Denmark looks forward to this occasion and is ready to engage actively in the process. In an increasingly globalized and dynamic world, where the problems we face tend to become ever more complex and intertwined, it is important to treasure and uphold the principles and the objectives enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations: to promote and encourage respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all; to establish conditions under which justice and respect for international obligations can be maintained; and to promote social progress and better standards of living. States must protect their own populations, and States must be accountable to the global community. In that context, I welcome the recent debate held in this Hall on the responsibility to protect, which showed overwhelming support for the concept on the part of Member States. It bodes well for our continued deliberations on that issue. I should also like to use this opportunity to encourage all United Nations Members that have not yet done so to become States parties to the International Criminal Court. There should be no impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious international crimes. Among the most serious present dangers to peace and security is the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. The upcoming Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is of utmost importance. The meeting of the Security Council on 24 September, headed by President Obama (see S/PV.6191), provided ample evidence. We welcome the negotiations between the United States and Russia on reductions to follow up on the Treaty on Strategic Offensive Arms, and we welcome President Obama’s commitment to the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, both of which will have a positive impact on the NPT Review Conference. I should like to take the opportunity to call on Iran and the Democratic People’ s Republic of Korea to comply with their obligations to suspend enrichment activities and to start negotiations on transparent civilian nuclear programmes, as set forth in Security Council resolutions. The election in Afghanistan was far from perfect. We need to engage with the new Government to create the crucial legitimacy between the Afghan Government and the Afghan people. The new Afghan compact to be built is that between the Government and the people, and our role should be to strengthen that compact and hold the Government accountable. In terms of the role of the international community, we need to be better coordinated and more effective in our support for building the capacity of the Afghan Government. In this the United Nations and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan play a crucial role. In neighbouring Pakistan, the international community and the Friends of Democratic Pakistan must seize the opportunity to support the democratic Government in fighting poverty and extremism. We must help Pakistan build a stable, democratic and prosperous State. This would be a significant contribution to peace and development in South Asia. I warmly welcome the efforts of the Government to fight terrorism, while, at the same time, it tries to alleviate the hardship experienced by Pakistan’s internally displaced persons (IDPs). It is a positive development that so many IDPs have returned. Now, a full and fast implementation of the Malakand development strategy is important. The deadlock in the Middle East peace process and the high level of regional tensions demand new international efforts to promote stability and peace in the region. We are encouraged to see the enhanced American engagement in the Middle East, and we urge all in the region and all parties to the Middle East conflict to honour the Road Map commitments, move speedily ahead and, once and for all, settle their differences in accordance with the international agreements and the Arab Peace Initiative. Furthermore, Denmark is in favour of expanding the mandate of the 09-53165 32 Quartet to include a regional dimension. Also, the Syrian and Lebanese peace tracks should feature permanently on the agenda of the Quartet. Pirates operating in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia are a security challenge that poses new legal challenges. Denmark has taken the lead in the international community’s work to identify practical and legal solutions so as to ensure the prosecution of suspected pirates. We welcome the increasingly active involvement of the United Nations in that issue. In that respect, we have to remember that what is taking place on the open sea is closely linked to the situation on the ground in Somalia. Bringing security and stability to the Somalis is of the highest priority, and Denmark supports the efforts of the United Nations and the African Union, and the Djibouti process. The United Nations itself must be able to change in order to effectively meet and deliver on all those new challenges. It is important to keep up momentum in the intergovernmental negotiations on reform of the Security Council in order to adapt that key body to the world of today. The United Nations peacekeeping commitments continue to play a decisive role in global peace and security, with now more than 100,000 peacekeepers deployed in nearly 20 missions globally. However, the immense growth and the demand for strengthening the capacity to manage and to sustain those peacekeeping operations have revealed shortfalls pertaining to the decision-making processes and the engagements themselves. Denmark, therefore, warmly supports recent initiatives that would enable us to meet the growing demands with a system in place that is more effective, more transparent and more accountable. Security is a precondition to programme delivery. Some degree of risk cannot be avoided, but the challenge is to mitigate it. Denmark, therefore, supports the continuing overhaul of security assessments and procedures. However, the situation in a country after the end of a conflict is also often extremely volatile. There is a need to ensure quick, effective and efficient support in post-conflict situations and to strengthen peacebuilding efforts. The United Nations is uniquely suited to lead those efforts, and we welcome the strong emphasis on that issue and look forward to the review of the peacebuilding architecture next year. The work of the United Nations in the area of gender, women’ s rights and development has for too long been fragmented and underfunded. In that light, the recent decision by the General Assembly in resolution 63/311 to create a new gender entity within the United Nations is of great significance. We will support the Secretary-General in every possible way in his efforts to ensure the swift establishment of such an entity. The rapid creation of a new gender entity will represent a milestone in the important work of reforming the United Nations system. All United Nations entities, funds and programmes and the Secretariat need to act more coherently. On the operational side, we strongly support the “delivering as one” initiative which seeks to base the various parts of the system on a common understanding of needs and priorities and with full country ownership of the joint programme. It is a collective responsibility and an opportunity to comprehensively pursue that agenda. More effective and efficient ways of working system-wide are important; therefore, harmonization of the Organization’ s business practices must be accelerated across the system. The President returned to the Chair. Multilateral cooperation is the best means of maintaining international peace and security and of responding to the challenges, risks and opportunities in an interdependent and globalized world. This Organization holds great legitimacy and moral force, and we encourage the United Nations — Member States, the entire organizational system and the Secretariat — to seize the moment and take the lead in addressing the new global challenges. An ambitious and successful outcome to the upcoming fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen in December would be a significant step in that direction.