Monaco

Mr President of the General Assembly, Mr Secretary-General, Ladies and Gentlemen, Heads of State and Government, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Nearly eighty years ago, the Charter of the United Nations came into being, laying the foundations of our Organisation with the mission of protecting future generations from the scourge of war. Its founders held the firm conviction that no authority could be more legitimate than that entrusted collectively to this new international organisation. Over the past two days, I took part—alongside many of you and at the initiative of Secretary-General António Guterres—in the “Summit of the Future”. Between hope and concern, this Summit allowed us to grasp the magnitude of the work still required to ensure a harmonious and peaceful future for our children. At a time when we are confronted with an increasing number of challenges, we are witnessing a proliferation of regional conflicts, a renewed arms race, and nuclear proliferation, alongside a significant deterioration in collective security. The extreme violence of the ongoing conflicts and the thousands of victims they cause across the globe are intolerable. Targeted attacks on civilian infrastructure—including schools and hospitals—are blatant violations of the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law. Likewise, the use of famine as a weapon of war is an abhorrent crime. Such acts must not go unpunished. Regardless of the conflict or the continent on which it unfolds, **international justice must establish the facts and prosecute those responsible**—a prerequisite for building a just and lasting peace. The partitioning of the world that we are witnessing is deeply worrying. This should not be a time for war and division, but for building **coalitions for concrete action**, enhancing cooperation, solidarity, mutual assistance, and dialogue. My country has always firmly believed that multilateralism is the only viable path. The United Nations lies at the heart of multilateralism, and it is our duty to implement the roadmap we have collectively adopted. As we pledged last year at the **Sustainable Development Goals Summit**, and again yesterday at the **Summit of the Future**, we must turn away from the path of destruction and focus on the road to prosperity. The **New Agenda for Peace** outlines a path that calls on us to show greater solidarity and to rebuild trust. Milestones have already been set and point the way forward. The **Fourth United Nations Conference on Financing for Development**, to be held next year, will challenge us to rethink the international financial architecture to help countries pursue more inclusive and sustainable development pathways. Likewise, the **World Social Summit**, also scheduled for next year, must provide fresh momentum toward greater social justice and contribute to the fight against poverty—**Goal No. 1 of the Sustainable Development Goals**. **Sustainable development, in its entirety, cannot produce the desired outcomes unless it includes women and girls.** As we prepare to mark in 2025 both the 25th anniversary of **UN Security Council Resolution 1325** on Women, Peace and Security, and the 30th anniversary of the **Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action**, it is sobering to note that gender equality remains unfulfilled—despite representing the equality of rights, responsibilities, and opportunities. It is only by ensuring women’s and girls’ rights across all the SDGs and actions of the **Pact for the Future** that we will achieve greater justice and inclusion. Step by step, and at all costs, we must continue promoting **women’s rights and gender equality**. --- **Mr President,** Let us not be mistaken: **the greatest long-term threats to humanity are undoubtedly linked to the multidimensional environmental crisis** we are currently experiencing—a crisis for which, I must remind us all, we bear the primary responsibility. Climate change, biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and the many forms of pollution affecting both land and ocean—the cradle of life—are disrupting the daily lives of millions and causing immense economic losses. In the face of this **tragedy of the commons**, there is no room for doubt or despair. Yes, we must remain clear-eyed about the scale of the task ahead. But that must not prevent us from demonstrating optimism and faith in the future. We now possess **a number of major international instruments** that must serve as our compass in this storm: - the **Paris Agreement**, - the **Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework**, - the **BBNJ Agreement** (on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction), - and, I hope soon, a new international agreement to **combat plastic pollution worldwide**. These crises demand a coordinated response. As we engage in various international fora in the coming months, we must bear in mind the need for **unified and concerted action**. First, in **Colombia**, at the **COP16 of the UN Biodiversity Conference**, where expectations are high and reflect the many challenges we must overcome to implement the Biodiversity Plan and realise our **2050 Vision: “Living in harmony with nature.”** Then, at the end of the year in **Baku**, during the **COP29 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change**, we will set a new collective goal for climate finance, to assist developing countries. This goal must meet their immense needs, while remaining realistic and actionable. --- To **guarantee the right to a future in a healthy environment**, we must halt the disruption of our ecosystems—drawing on both **scientific knowledge and the lived experience of communities already facing these changes**. I think in particular of **Small Island Developing States**, which are especially vulnerable to sea level rise. The possible disappearance of habitable and productive land represents a real threat to their existence. The **Principality of Monaco**, along with its institutions committed to ocean preservation, supports the proposal to create an **International Panel of Experts for Ocean Sustainability (IPOS)** under the leadership of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. In this context, as we move further into the **Decade of Ocean Science**, I call on all States to **accelerate the ratification process of the BBNJ Agreement**, in the hope that it may enter into force by **2025**—a crucial year for our planet, which will also see **France host the third United Nations Ocean Conference**. -- That conference must serve to accelerate our actions and to mobilise all stakeholders in delivering the sustainable solutions the ocean urgently needs in the face of the challenges we confront. **The blue economy** also has a role to play, and the Principality intends to contribute actively by hosting, on **7 and 8 June 2025**, the **Blue Economy and Finance Forum**. Finally, beyond the framework offered by the BBNJ Agreement, I reaffirm my country’s commitment to the establishment of **a robust regulatory system**, based on the **best available scientific data**, to ensure **effective protection of the marine environment before any mineral exploitation of the deep seabed** is authorised. Ultimately, these interconnected crises compel us to **fundamentally rethink our relationship with Nature**, which is essential to our survival and well-being. --- **Mr President,** Among the challenges and transformations humanity faces, the development of **artificial intelligence** is undoubtedly one of the most far-reaching. The emergence and rapid expansion of this new technology in our daily lives brings both **opportunities**—which we must seize—and **risks**—against which we must guard. The **Principality of Monaco** is committed to **"seizing the opportunities offered by safe, secure, and trustworthy AI systems in support of sustainable development.”** Indeed, the spectacular technological advances we are witnessing can accelerate progress, but they also offer fertile ground for **organised crime and terrorism**. It is now the responsibility of the international community to establish **appropriate norms** that ensure the **ethical use of AI**, in a manner **respectful of human rights and fundamental freedoms**, and that prevent its misuse for **military or terrorist purposes**. Furthermore, **disinformation** has today become one of the most insidious threats to our societies. It spreads rapidly, fuelled by social media and digital platforms, sowing confusion and eroding trust in institutions and the press. The consequences of this manipulation of information are severe: it can destabilise States and heighten international tensions. It is therefore essential to strengthen **fact-checking mechanisms** to defend truth and preserve the health of our democracies. --- **Mr President,** We possess the necessary tools—legal, technological, and scientific—to deliver **durable and effective solutions** to our contemporary challenges. The **Pact for the Future** and the **80th anniversary of the United Nations in 2025** present us with a historic and unique opportunity to advance the **intergovernmental process of reforming the Security Council**, making our Organisation more inclusive and representative of today’s realities, so that it may better respond to the crises we face. As the **Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games** have recently demonstrated so successfully, athletes have shown us that perseverance and effort, even in the face of adversity, can lead to victory. They have taught us a lesson in humility, reminding us that while victory is the ultimate goal, the journey and the mutual inspiration it generates are accomplishments in themselves. Let us therefore commit—together and with determination—to the path we have set. **Step by step**, let us overcome the obstacles before us, never losing sight of our ultimate goal: **to preserve peace among Nations and ensure the well-being of the peoples of the United Nations.** **I thank you for your attention.**