I believe it is fair to say that we have just come
through an annus horribilis: a year marked by the
worldwide financial and economic crisis, the worst
since the Great Depression of 1929; by an increase in
hunger and poverty — we are speaking about some
100 million more people sinking into hunger and
chronic poverty due to the crisis, and more than
1 billion people suffering from hunger in 2009; by the
dramatic rise in unemployment — the International
Labour Organization (ILO) indicates that 50 million
workers are at risk of losing or have already lost their
jobs; by set-backs in the hard-won progress towards
the Millennium Development Goals; and by the
outbreak of a pandemic. It was also a year during
which questions about the relevance of the United
Nations and calls for an overhaul of international
governance grew ever louder.
Accordingly, we see the need to take stock and
draw lessons, namely, to review the major challenges
the international community is confronting in terms of
development, human rights and the rule of law,
peacekeeping and security, disarmament and
non-proliferation and the fight against climate change.
And what better forum to discuss these issues than the
General Assembly of the United Nations?
The economic crisis that hit the world a year ago
was even more devastating, as it took place while we
were still struggling to cope with, without having
overcome them, the food and energy crises, as well as
the acceleration, obviously, of climate change.
I have just mentioned the particularly negative
impact of the crisis on the poorest. To face those
challenges, we need concerted action, coherent action,
global action, a true global partnership for
development, based on the shared responsibilities of
donors and recipients.
My country will continue to assume its share of
responsibility by maintaining its efforts in terms of
official development assistance (ODA). Having spent
0.95 per cent of its gross national income on ODA in
2008, the Government that was elected in June 2009
has not only confirmed that it maintains the
quantitative target of 1 per cent of its gross national
income, but will also continue to insist on the
qualitative improvement of Luxembourg’s cooperation
in order to further increase efficiency, all of it in the
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context of sustainable development integrating
economic, social and environmental issues.
Luxembourg calls on all Member States to make
the necessary efforts to keep all the commitments that
were made together in this forum and that we have
reiterated at the Millennium Summit in Monterrey and
more recently in Doha.
We must, however, learn the lessons provided by
this multidimensional crisis and contemplate a more
systemic reform of the existing multilateral system,
including the financial and economic architecture, and
adapt it to the current political and socio-economic
realities.
As I stated in this forum in June at the
Conference on the World Financial and Economic
Crisis and Its Impact on Development, the United
Nations and its principal organs must be at the centre
of such a reflection. The Economic and Social Council,
which is the central mechanism for coordination and
the principal organ of the United Nations responsible
for economic and social issues, will have a particularly
important role to play in this regard.
Luxembourg, which chairs the Economic and
Social Council this year, has assumed its
responsibilities in that regard and is working towards
full implementation of the various mandates entrusted
to the Council by Member States in the framework of
the international Conference.
All these actions require a strong multilateral
framework based on sound legal rules that are binding
on all Member States. In times of crisis, unilateral
tendencies unfortunately tend to recur. While it is
important that representatives of the major economies
of the world meet to discuss common problems,
particularly the economic and financial crisis we have
experienced in recent months, such forums should not
and must not substitute for multilateral structures and
existing intergovernmental mandates.
In order to retain the relevance of our multilateral
structures, they must be based on trust and cooperation:
trust between the citizen and the State, trust among
States themselves, whether they are from the North or
the South, rich or poor, and confidence of States in the
United Nations, which is our common good.
It lies in our hands to assume our responsibilities,
to overcome our divisions, to move the thinking and
the decision-making forward, and to ensure
consistency. It lies in our hands to undertake the
necessary reform efforts required for a Security
Council that reflects, at last, the geopolitical realities
of today, and which is more representative, efficient
and transparent; for a revitalized General Assembly,
and for a stronger and more effective Economic and
Social Council. It lies in our hands to demonstrate the
continued relevance of our Organization and its
capacity to act and to formulate joint responses, global
responses and legitimate responses.
In our globalized world, there is no turning away.
We are all concerned, and the challenges we are
facing are of an ever-increasing complexity, including
in matters of peace and security. Yesterday, we
commemorated the sixtieth anniversary of the United
Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), an anniversary
that one would somehow have preferred not to have to
celebrate, for while it allowed us to express our
gratitude for the outstanding work done by that United
Nations agency in the service of the Palestinian people
on a daily basis, it is true, it is also synonymous with
failure. Sixty years later, the situation in the Middle
East remains unresolved.
While we welcome that the new Administration
in the United States is determined to seek a solution
based on the coexistence of two States and a
comprehensive peace in the Middle East, and while we,
together with our European Union partners, are
committed to working actively with the United States
and other Quartet members, including, obviously, the
United Nations, to achieve this goal, at the same time
we deeply regret that Israel persists in its policy of
colonization.
Mr. Shaheed (Maldives), Vice-President, took the
Chair.
It cannot be repeated too often: the settlement
activity is not only illegal under international law, but
it is also an obstacle to peace. To continue colonization
is to persist in humiliating the Palestinians, in
dominating the Palestinian people. Without the clear
signal of an end to this policy, it is unlikely that serious
negotiations can resume.
We fully support the intention of the President of
the United States to engage in negotiations, and we
will support him in this endeavour. Annapolis showed
that Israelis and Palestinians, when they are alone
45 09-52470
around the negotiating table, are not able to show a
level of commitment commensurate with the
fundamental problems, namely, Jerusalem, the question
of refugees and their right to return, security and the
issue of borders.
We call on all parties to shoulder their
responsibilities and, through their actions, to establish
an environment conducive to the resumption of
negotiations to resolve the conflict. The end of
divisions among Palestinians and the intra-Palestinian
reconciliation that is centred on President Mahmoud
Abbas, who has demonstrated in the West Bank that
substantial progress in terms of security and
governance is possible, are just as much a part of this
as the adoption of confidence-building measures by
Israel and Arab countries or the simultaneous search
for solutions to the conflicts between, on the one hand,
Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic and, on the other
hand, Israel and Lebanon.
In that context, I would also like to stress just
how urgent it is to find a sustainable solution to the
crisis in Gaza through the full implementation of
Security Council resolution 1860 (2009). An end must
be put to the untenable situation of 1.5 million
Palestinians living in a prison. Giving hope and
motivation to the Palestinian people is a basic human
obligation. Light must also be shed on the events in
Gaza, including the events following the release of the
United Nations fact-finding mission’s report, which has
just been published and which has brought shocking
acts to light. The credibility of the United Nations is at
stake in this matter.
The credibility of the international community
too is at stake in a number of respects with regard to
the situation in Afghanistan. It is at stake as far as the
establishment and maintenance of peace and security is
concerned, but also in terms of preserving the rule of
law and respect for our fundamental values, ensuring
the economic and social development of the country
and combating poverty. That was the mandate given to
the United Nations back in 2001. It has become clear
that, eight years after the adoption of that mandate, the
progress made is still not enough. In the light of the
increasing number of bloody attacks carried out across
the country, the events surrounding the recent
presidential elections and the alarming figures in terms
of development objectives, public opinion is beginning
to wonder whether in fact we are not moving
backwards.
There is no easy solution, but there is certainly no
alternative to our continued engagement in the country.
I would like to stress that, together with our European
Union and NATO partners, we will remain engaged
alongside the authorities and the people of
Afghanistan. There can be no question of abandoning
the people, who have been devastated by decades of
conflict and violations of their most basic rights. The
goal must be a stable and democratic State where all
forces, including the Taliban, recognize and respect the
rule of law and basic human rights.
Another conflict area that has long been a source
of concern and where our hopes of lasting peace were
once again called into question in the past year is the
Democratic Republic of the Congo. Once again it is
civilians who must suffer the consequences. We are
seriously concerned about the crimes committed
against civilians, especially women and children.
In that context I would like to welcome the draft
Security Council resolution that provides for concrete
follow-up to resolution 1820 (2008), on women and
peace and security. Luxembourg fully supports that
text. I also welcome the personal commitment of the
Secretary-General in the fight against sexual violence.
It is important that the United Nations system as a
whole address the phenomenon of sexual violence,
which is used increasingly as a weapon of war in
armed conflict even after hostilities have ended. It is
essential to strengthen efforts to prevent such acts from
happening and to bring to justice those who commit
those horrible crimes.
While much remains to be said about the
challenges in terms of the maintenance of peace and
security, especially in the context of the current debate
on the future of peacekeeping operations — a debate
that I applaud — allow me to dwell for a moment on
the current encouraging developments in the field of
disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation.
I welcome President Obama’s initiative to engage
the Security Council in a broader discussion of issues
pertaining to non-proliferation and disarmament,
beyond the specific area of issues related to sanctions.
As we are only a few months from the eighth Review
Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), it is
important that we demonstrate our determination to
carry out that task as regards the three pillars of the
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NPT, the ultimate goal being a world free of nuclear
weapons.
The same goes for the Comprehensive Nuclear-
Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the other cornerstone of the
nuclear non-proliferation regime. As I said yesterday
during the meeting of States that have ratified the
CTBT, the call of the Security Council to sign and
ratify the CTBT and the commitment of President
Obama to do everything possible to ensure ratification
in the United States are crucial. The Treaty must at last
enter into force. We hope that those encouraging
developments will lead others to adopt a more
constructive attitude, with full respect for their
international obligations.
Beyond non-proliferation issues, however, we
must not overlook disarmament itself. In that regard,
we certainly welcome the decision of the United States
and the Russian Federation to conduct negotiations to
conclude a new comprehensive agreement following
the expiry of the START II Treaty next December.
Allow me as well to say a few words about an
issue that is also relevant in terms of security and
defence. I am referring to the welcome decision — in
my opinion, at least — by the United States
Administration to abandon the effort to put in place a
missile defence shield. It always seemed to me that the
way forward in that regard was not to adopt unilateral
measures, but to engage in discussion and cooperation
with our Russian partners with a view to ensuring our
common security.
I cannot conclude without saying a few words
about climate change, which is perhaps the greatest
challenge to world prosperity in the long term. I would
like to take this opportunity to thank the Secretary-
General once again for convening the summit of
22 September. That resulted in political mobilization at
the highest level, which is crucial if we want to make
the Copenhagen Conference a success and set a new
course towards sustainable development and green
growth that reduces carbon emissions.
The scientific evidence exists. It is now up to us
to respond with determination in facing those facts.
Developed countries will have to set the example by
agreeing to ambitious and higher than average targets
to reduce carbon dioxide by 2050. They must do so by
entering into binding legal commitments, including for
the medium term, in the context of an effective and
universal international regime to which countries
contribute on the basis of their capacity.
Moreover, the issue of adaptation to climate
change — including also the financing of related
efforts, which will necessarily constitute an additional
expense — should be treated as a priority at
Copenhagen. Allow me to note in passing that the
disarmament efforts that I have just described should
free up financial resources that could be put to better
use in this regard.
Meanwhile, together with its partners in the
European Union, Luxembourg has already committed
itself to reach the so-called 20-20-20 goal of increasing
energy efficiency in the European Union by 20 per
cent, increasing renewable energy by 20 per cent of
total energy consumption and reducing greenhouse gas
emissions by 20 per cent compared to 1990 levels.
Beginning several years ago, Luxembourg began to
systematically incorporate the issue of adaptation to
climate change in its development programmes.
Climate change, however, will have an impact not
only on development, but also on the full enjoyment of
human rights and on the security of countries. I
therefore very much welcome the report produced by
the Secretary-General following the initiative taken in
that regard by Pacific small island developing States,
which addresses the full scope of the problem.
Luxembourg remains firmly convinced of the
relevance of a multilateral approach in which the
United Nations is at the centre. We will continue to
base our policies and make our contributions with a
view to creating a world that is more just, more
peaceful and more prosperous, as enshrined in our
founding Charter. It is also because of this passionate
motivation to work towards a strong and effective
multilateralism that Luxembourg, a founding Member
of the United Nations, aspires to become, for the first
time, a non-permanent member of the Security Council
in 2013-2014.