My
participation in this general debate, like that of more
than 100 heads of State and Government, confirms
both the seriousness of the choices we must make in
the face of the challenges confronting our States and
the unavoidable role of the United Nations in deciding
on the future of our planet and its inhabitants.
More than ever before, the General Assembly
must be the “centre for harmonizing the actions of
nations” in the attainment of the common ends defined
in Article 1 of the Charter. To remain the vital centre,
the Organization and its most representative body of
the community of nations — our General Assembly —
must better take into consideration the interdependence
that links our destinies and the opportunity presented to
our sovereign States to bestow upon our fellow
countrymen a common vision marked by moral values.
The financial storm that swept through the world
a year ago has caused too much suffering and too much
harm to the global economy, at a time in our history
when we are confronted with the major challenges of
the climate crisis and the implementation of the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), for us not to
draw obvious conclusions.
A year from now, we will meet again in this same
forum to take stock of the progress we have made in
the implementation of the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs). The 2015 deadline — which already
seemed compromised on the eve of this
multidimensional crisis — requires that we define a
global vision for the future of humankind. Some will
call it solidarity or moral awareness. Whatever the
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name, we need to clearly define and implement the
MDGs to meet the basic needs of all human beings.
If poverty eradication is to remain our priority,
we will have to get busy on fulfilling our obligations,
for the most destitute are also the ones who are hungry,
who suffer from malnutrition and who lack access to
water and to basic social and health services. Among
the main victims are women and children, 25,000 of
whom die each day, according to UNICEF.
Several hundred thousand people today benefit
from actions undertaken by my country in the
framework of its international cooperation in the fields
of health, education and the fight against poverty. This
is why I requested that we continue our effort to
contribute 0.7 per cent of our GDP by 2015 to official
development assistance. This assistance must not be
sacrificed because of the present economic and
financial situation. On the contrary, it must be
strengthened at a time when the most vulnerable are
the ones who need it the most. This development
assistance must be accompanied by long-term
investments aimed at strengthening the capacity-
building of developing countries, in particular through
the transfer of appropriate technologies with a view to
respecting the requirements of sustainable
development.
From this perspective, and in the light of the
recent food crisis, the time is right to restore
agriculture to its proper place, because food security
depends on it. Today, it is up to us to forge for future
generations a new destiny, “a new deal”. We must
move from being donors to become partners in a green
revolution in Africa, where food-producing agriculture
adapted to the specific conditions of the continent must
empower the local populations.
The restoration of agriculture to the heart of our
civilization also raises the crucial issue of water.
Whether regarding access to it for the survival of our
populations, for farming or for energy production, it is
imperative to guarantee water security. Therefore, an
integrated management of water resources is needed.
We must be aware of the potential disasters and
conflicts that would arise if we failed, and of risks
linked to poor sanitation that could cause outbreaks of
infectious diseases and pandemics.
The phenomena of desertification and drought, as
well as the acidification of seas and oceans, are
exacerbated by man-made climatic change. This is why
failure of the Copenhagen negotiations is not an option.
My commitment, and that of my worldwide
counterparts, as stated yesterday in the framework of
the climate change summit convened by the Secretary-
General, is unequivocal: we must, together —
developed countries, countries with high carbon
dioxide emissions and developing countries — succeed
in defining a post-Kyoto regime that will be decidedly
in line with a low-carbon-emission future.
For too long, we have neglected the scientific
warnings. More than 20 years ago, the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was
created by the World Meteorological Organization.
During the third World Climate Conference at the
beginning of September which, with great pleasure, I
attended, it was decided to establish a Global
Framework for Climate Services, with a view to
helping populations meet this increasingly pressing
challenge.
This Global Framework, which we fully support,
aims at improving the management of the risks of
climate fluctuations and climate change as well as
adaptation to climate change at all levels, through
development and the incorporation of science-based
information and forecasting into policies and planning.
The unparalleled mobilization of public opinion
compels us to adopt innovative measures to slow
global warming, whose consequences could be
catastrophic.
The Trade and Development Report recommends
deep structural changes, which will not happen unless
we are willing to challenge our patterns of production
and consumption. The setting up of a green economy
must be the basis of such a process. Our role, as
political decision makers, is to ensure that the
necessary technology — which already exists — is put
to use to reduce greenhouse gases. Sustainable
development requires the globalization of green
technologies and environmental assets.
On behalf of the Principality, I reiterate our stated
ambition to become carbon neutral and our resolve to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by
2020 and by 60 per cent by 2050.
During these past few months, the world
economy has been sorely tried and tested. Signs of
recovery are beginning to show, but we must draw
lessons from this grim year. The globalization of the
economy and the resulting interdependence require
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reform of the international monetary and financial
system.
Created 10 years ago, the Group of 20 (G-20) met
for the first time at the level of heads of State or
Government last November, thereby acknowledging
the urgency of adopting measures to save the world
economy from a disaster worsened by the panic
reigning in the financial markets. Monaco
acknowledges that this group, which represents two
thirds of the world’s population and trade and close to
90 per cent of the world gross domestic product, bears
special responsibility vis-à-vis the rest of the
international community.
We are confident of the capacity of the G-20,
tomorrow in Pittsburgh, to lay the foundations for a
new era encompassing, inter alia, financial regulation,
financial traders’ income, governance and resources
allocated to international financial institutions. The
G-20’s ability to bring together all States will give rise
to the legitimacy necessary for renewed growth.
For several months, my Government has been
working to fulfil the commitments it undertook and to
comply with the required norms of the Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with
a view to improve transparency and exchanges of fiscal
and banking information. That is why my Government
has already signed 12 bilateral conventions and has
undertaken to conclude other agreements in this area.
As of today, Monaco has had its efforts acknowledged
by the OECD and will thus now be included on its
White List.
But let us make no mistake: the breach of trust
resulting from the financial disaster has made it more
necessary than ever before that the measures taken by
the G-20 be non-discriminatory and bring together all
Member States. A consultative body would thus ensure
the legitimacy of any decisions made.
We must, together, rebuild solid foundations for a
capitalism with a human face that promotes growth and
social development. Current circumstances have
provided us the opportunity to create a green economy,
one which associates job creation with the transfer of
new technologies which will enable us to achieve a
sustained recovery.
The State must continuously adapt its role and the
expression of its sovereignty to new realities in order
to remain the guarantor of the security and social well-
being of populations. The United Nations cannot avoid
this either. Since its creation, the Organization has
worked for the maintenance of international peace and
security through operations led under its flag. It has
also played a prominent federative role in the field of
disarmament and non-proliferation.
Human and material resources available to
peacekeeping operations have reached levels that
would have not been conceivable only a decade ago.
The necessary consideration of this matter initiated
within the Security Council and the Secretariat, as well
as with Member States, is a priority and we support it.
What is just as important is the strengthening of
the rule of law and of democratic institutions,
guardians of sovereignty and the peaceful coexistence
of States. In this respect, I wish to reiterate the support
of my country for the implementation of the
responsibility to protect, which is symbolic of the
strengthening of multilateralism for the good of
populations. The responsibility to protect does not
affect the exercise of responsible sovereignty, which
places the individual at the forefront. Monaco will
continue to work with its partners — that is, each and
every one in this Hall — to implement best practices in
the field of protection, international assistance and
capacity-building, with the sole objective of saving
lives.
The Principality will keep responding, in
solidarity, to emergency humanitarian situations,
especially when it comes to assisting women and
children, whose vulnerability in crisis situations,
unfortunately, no longer needs to be demonstrated.
In 2010, we will celebrate the International Year
for the Rapprochement of Cultures and the
International Year of Biodiversity. These themes
symbolize, at the outset of the twenty-first century, the
harmony that we must seek both among our people —
with acceptance of our differences — and between the
human species and the other living species on Earth,
which we have the duty to protect and save from
extinction.
I can assure the Assembly that my country will
continue to tirelessly commit itself to processes likely
to build and strengthen the ties between our societies in
order to promote dialogue and cultural and religious
understanding based on mutual respect, such as the
Union for the Mediterranean and the Alliance of
Civilizations.
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I am convinced that the President’s great
experience at the United Nations and his role in the
creation of the African Union are great pluses for the
success of his very sensitive mission.