Poland

I congratulate His Excellency Mr. Abdulla Shahid on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-sixth session. I would like to express Poland's full support for his mission and wish him every success in its execution. I also thank His Excellency Mr. Volkan Bozkir for his active presidency over the work of the General Assembly at the previous session. Furthermore, I am grateful to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for crafting the report, entitled Our Common Agenda, which provides a comprehensive response to the most pressing challenges faced by the world today. Like the Secretary-General, I can see the need for international solidarity with regard to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination process; like him, I can see the need for action on the climate crisis and the protection of biodiversity. As a participant in numerous debates, I can also see an increasing consciousness of mainly young people, who realize that the decisions taken today will have an immense impact on their lives. I am delighted by that trend. I stand before the Assembly as the leader of a 38-million-strong nation that, like all our States, has been facing the unprecedented pandemic with all its consequences for almost two years. Over a period of 20 months, we have lost 75,000 thousand lives, while almost 3 million out of 38 million people in our country have contracted the virus. Although our robust economy has bravely resisted the crisis and has managed to return to exceptionally dynamic growth today, during the first year of the pandemic it failed for the first time in 30 years to record such growth. I do not need to explain to the leaders of States what it means for millions of families, as they know the situation first-hand. I stand before the Assembly as one of more than 200 million people who have contracted and have recovered from COVID-19. Like probably many here, I experienced an illness that befalls people irrespective of their function, status, religion, convictions, orientation or world views. The past 20 months of the fight against the pandemic have reminded us of a word that we, as Poles, learn in our cradles. That word is “solidarity”. Many of those present know what I am talking about. The word refers in our history to a large independent trade union established in 1980 by industrial workers who went on strike against the communist regime and, in the 1980s and 1990s, inspired millions of people across the globe in their fight for their democratic and labour rights. The word has come to symbolize the guiding principle of our policy — its ideal. In speaking about solidarity, I am also thinking about solidarity in the context of COVID-19, and this reflection is by no means an easy one, especially in reference to us — the leaders of the rich world, or, as some refer to it, the affluent North. Have we shown enough solidarity? Has humankind behaved appropriately throughout its fight against the virus? Have we helped one another as we should, in accordance with our basic moral instinct as humans? One can have serious doubts about it. Have we, the rich North — as my country, despite all its daily problems, belongs to the limited group of affluent States — demonstrated the necessary solidarity with the countries of the South? Have we had equal access to vaccines and other measures to prevent the spread of the disease? When the threat came, our first instinct was to isolate ourselves from one another. Borders re-emerged in Europe. Those were unquestionably justified actions, as none of us knew then how serious the danger would really be. The situation was further exacerbated by reports of the tens of thousands of people who were infected by the virus and who died. Every one of us remembers the horror of the first months of 2020 and the great hope we placed in the development of a vaccine that would protect us from the disease. However, today, almost two years later, with more than 4.5 million casualties, we should answer the question of how well we passed the solidarity test. I salute those who won the vaccine battle in laboratories and those who, while risking their own health and lives, have vaccinated hundreds of millions of the cohabitants of our planet. But has access to vaccines been fair? Have we not forgotten that, during a pandemic, a vaccine is more of a human right than a commodity regulated by market principles? I have wanted Poland to be, right from the start, a country of solidarity — a country not guided by the rule that the weaker has to die. Therefore, we have tried to protect each and every life with the same commitment. Therefore, whenever we could, we have tried to show solidarity with other nations that needed assistance at any given time. I cannot say whether we have done everything possible, but we have still tried, for instance, by sending our medical doctors to our friends in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, the United States and Italy, which suffered in Europe. I am convinced that some of the countries of the rich North have behaved in the same way as Poland, which has donated 6 million vaccine doses to, inter alia, our partners from the South. Has that been enough, however, to close the obvious gap with regard to access to vaccines, which have been wasted in some States and inaccessible in others? It seems to me that, as part of this group, we should have many reasons to be dissatisfied with ourselves. The word “solidarity” does not refer exclusively to the pandemic, as the pandemic has not made other global problems disappear. We are discussing the rights of nations in this forum. Let me ask members then — what is the first right of every nation? It is the right to self- determination and the right to democratic governance, set out in detail in the science of democratization and enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, adopted by the United Nations. I am absolutely sure that most of us agree on the fact that every one of our nations, the United Nations, has the right to protect its borders and their inviolability, choose its system of Government and govern with the consent of the nation, never against it. Do we really agree with that? I have the impression — and it is not only my impression — that COVID-19 has allowed us to easily forget about the multiple misfortunes plaguing different parts of our globe, often in the vicinity of our homes. During the pandemic, reports of the tragedy in Syria, where an externally supported civil war has inflicted unimaginable suffering on the population and turned millions of people into refugees and fugitives, have vanished from the headlines. The tragedies in Libya, Ethiopia and Yemen are barely noticed by many people from the rich North. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have moved no closer to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which, as all of us know, requires a two-State solution and, above all, peaceful one. Unfortunately, tragic developments are also unfolding close to the Polish border, and I have the impression that humankind seems to have forgotten about them. Furthermore, the pandemic has not stopped the war in Ukraine, where more than 13,000 people have died since the beginning of the Russian aggression, with one State seizing the territory of another. After the Second World War, in Europe, in the twenty-first century, Ukraine was attacked. What was the response of the rich North to the drama of the Ukrainian nation fighting for its independence and self-determination? The response was the construction of the large-scale Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which will carry Russian gas to Western Europe, bringing additional billions in revenue to the aggressor and complete helplessness and even indifference to the fact that Ukraine will find itself in even greater danger. I recently attended the Crimean Platform summit in Kyiv, as one of few leaders representing the rich North. I searched with my own eyes for those who are planning for and have approved the construction of Nord Stream 2. I did not find them. COVID-19 is also obscuring for many people the events in Belarus, which neighbours Poland, where, since August 2020, hundreds of thousands of people have come out daily for peaceful protests demanding just one thing — respect for the election result. In response, they have encountered police batons, tear gas and, often, bullets used by the regime to defend itself against its own people. As I speak, more than 650 persons are in prisons in Belarus, the majority of them young women and men — patriots — who simply wanted to choose their leader in fair elections. They are languishing in prison for political reasons. Recently, a kangaroo court sentenced two of them—Maria Kalesnikava and Maxim Znak—to 10 and 11 years in prison, respectively. In addition to them, the leaders of the Polish minority in Belarus — Andzelika Borys and Andrzej Poczobut — have been either detained or imprisoned for their democratic activities. These are just a few names from among the hundreds of persecuted. We demand the release of all of them and expect greater solidarity from the international community with the nation of Belarus, which simply wants to have a fair democratic State. What have these people done that was so wrong? They have done nothing. They wanted to claim the same right to elect their Government that the French, the Poles, the Americans, the Koreans, the Australians and the people of Argentina have. The wanted free elections, in which many of us run — the Presidents of the free world — the importance of which the General Assembly has so emphatically expressed in a series of historic resolutions, emblemized by the phrase, “Enhancing the effectiveness of the principle of periodic and genuine elections”. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, they paved the way for the realization that the right to form one’s own Government is not a Western whim but a universal human right. Belarusians want to ensure that their authorities respect that universal right. They pay the price with their suffering and with imprisonment. I say that as the leader of a country in which nearly 150,000 Belarusians have found shelter and employment, including thousands of protesters. I recently told our Belarusian brothers that they are welcome in our country and that Poland will be their home for as long as they deem it to be appropriate and necessary. I will honour those words. Nonetheless, solidarity comes at a price because regimes defend themselves not only against their own citizens, but also against democratic States. The response of the authoritarian regime in Belarus has taken the shape of an unprecedented hybrid attack on the borders of Poland, Latvia and Lithuania — the three countries that make up the eastern flank of NATO and the European Union. For several weeks, Alexandr Lukashenko’s regime has brought tens of thousands of desperate inhabitants of the Middle East into the country, forcing them, with police batons, to cross our borders, in an attempt to create an artificial humanitarian crisis. Those people then set up camp at the borders. The regime ignores our offers to provide them with humanitarian aid. It treats immigrants as pawns in a political game and undermines their dignity and fundamental rights. We will not yield in that crisis, because we have not agreed to treating migrants as pawns. We have not agreed to abuse their vulnerable plight, pitched against the security of our borders. We protect those borders, as it is our duty to do so. We are also a member of the European Union, which defends the borders of the European community. I also say that as the leader of a country that knows very well how to tell the difference between a humanitarian crisis and hybrid activities. Together with its allies, our country participated in the refugee rescue operation at Kabul airport, just a few weeks ago. Initially, our intention was to evacuate dozens of military and diplomatic staff who cooperated with us. We ended up evacuating more than 1,300 people. We helped other countries to evacuate their own people. We also benefited from the solidarity of others, in particular the Republic of Uzbekistan, and we are deeply grateful for that. I remind members once again that the world did not come to a standstill during the pandemic. The pandemic has not deprived nations of their democratic aspirations; neither has it stifled people’s desire to live in freedom. It has not suppressed the craving for dignity and respect across large swathes of the globe. I recently saw for myself the enthusiasm among Moldovan voters, who took power away from the oligarchs plundering the country and voted in favour of reforms, democracy, normalcy and honesty. I assured them of Poland’s support for any initiative of the kind in our region, wherever we have influence. These are the times that restore faith in the most fundamental values of humankind and inspire the spirit of profound solidarity in other countries, including my own country. As trivial as it may sound, we all realize that humankind is not homogeneous and each of us has his or her own values and beliefs that are sacrosanct to us. However, the experience of sharing the same planet and the knowledge that we have no other teach coexistence and prompt us to define its framework. International law is that framework. It is one of the greatest achievements of modern times. We can debate at length about reform of the United Nations system, but each debate comes down to one fundamental element — how to promote the role of the United Nations in securing the primacy of international law, because we want to live in a world based on law, not on force. Securing respect for international law was one of Poland’s priorities as a member of the Security Council in 2018 and 2019. Today we continue in the same vein, in support of international law, by serving on the Human Rights Council. Our priority is to protect vulnerable groups, civilians in armed conflict and religious minorities. The same purpose will be pursued by the Polish chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2022, where we will work to resolve regional and frozen conflicts. We want to tap OSCE potential to improve the conditions of the weakest and most vulnerable people. We will also strive to make human rights the main point of reference for OSCE activities, on the premise that solidarity is the fundamental value underlying human rights — the rights enjoyed by every human being. The pandemic has nearly removed from the headlines another major topic — the fight against climate change and for a secure future for us all, our children and grandchildren. We leaders must realize what it takes to protect people and the planet from climate change. The problem will not disappear with the pandemic. It is also part of international solidarity. Let me pose this question once again — do we, the rich North, pass the test of solidarity, or do we merely cater to our own statistics by relocating production to the poorer countries of the South, where the least environmentally friendly technologies are employed? Those countries are then blamed for polluting the planet. I say this as the leader of a country that overthrew the communist dictatorship in 1989 and inherited a very difficult ecological situation in the aftermath. Over the past 30 years, we have made tremendous progress on that front. Between 1988 and 2016, Poland reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by more than 30 per cent. Our rivers and air are cleaner, and the country is much greener. Moreover, we have more forests. As a country with primeval forests, woods, great lakes and rivers, Poland attracts nature lovers from all over Europe every year. I could also add that the percentage of hard coal in our energy mix is systematically decreasing, with biofuels and renewable energy sources gaining ground. At this point, let me humbly admit that that is only the beginning of the road. We have a long road ahead of us. Nonetheless, I believe we will manage, as we are very ambitious in that regard and we understand the challenges of the future. Indeed, during our presidency of the twenty- fourth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, we managed to finalize the negotiations on the Katowice Rulebook — an agreement that streamlines the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change so as to make it transparent and fair to all parties. It is also fair to say that we supported the transformation of our energy sector, with due respect to the socioeconomic context. However, at the same time, we realize that more effort will be needed. Therefore, in February this year, the Polish Government stamped its seal of approval on the Energy Policy of Poland Until 2040, which maps out the direction of energy transformation. The document is an important step towards the transition to low- and zero-emissions in the Polish economy. It is my firm belief that, in the name of solidarity, the strategy will continue to be implemented by the Government of my successor to office. I believe that the fundamental principle — that of a just transition — will be maintained. The transition should take into account social needs, possibilities and the importance of people living in dignity and, being employed and able to raise their children. That also takes into account the interests of the family. Solidarity has not ceased to exist in the face of a pandemic. It should remain our motto. Our central tenet, in addition to others, should be to ensure that we do not compromise on human rights and the rights of entire nations so as to guarantee the development of the United Nations, always with respect for the primacy of international law. We should always be ready to set and pursue ambitious goals in the fight for our planet. Over the past 20 months, as the pandemic has weighed heavily on us, we have often asked ourselves, what will the post-pandemic world be like? Will it be a world where solidarity reigns? Or will we return to business as usual and consider those months as nothing more than an interruption in our routine, after which we can continue repeating past mistakes? Personally, I believe that mankind shares the same aspirations: security and prosperity, democracy and human rights. We share aspirations of a world without wars and border violations; of nations respecting each other’s territories, languages and identities; of a world without discrimination or any undermining of the inherent dignity of human beings; a world that consistently endorses, among others, the principles invoked by the authors of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; a world based on solidarity among people and among States. I believe that Poland will continue striving for that world, no matter who holds the office of its President. Whether man or woman, I believe our next leader will continue striving to build that world.