2026 United Nations General Assembly Day Two

represents a historic opportunity with the potential to become one of the major players in the energy sector in the decades ahead. Come, invest, develop it with us, but there's a limit to this invitation. We will not remain indifferent to those who exploit resources under illegal foreign occupation. Argentina's position is clear. Today I've come to tell you that Argentina is not going to sit around waiting for the UN and the international community to live up to their own mandate. We're going to take matters into our own hands. For far too long, Argentina managed its own decline. We managed poverty. We managed isolation. We managed irrelevance.

(02:11:40)
We grew accustomed to debating how to divide up what remained rather than asking ourselves how we could grow again, how we could rebuild what we had lost. That's over. We've already lost too much. We do not want to lose it again. That's why we've embraced free enterprise capitalism. We're opening our economy up to trade and investment. We're advancing in the development of our strategic resources. We've embraced the technological revolution and we are rebuilding our military capabilities after decades of neglect. We've also made a geopolitical choice. We have unequivocally aligned ourselves with the West, with the United States and with Israel, countries with which we share a deep affinity of values and strategic complementarity. That is why we condemn the attacks by the Iranian regime against the state of Israel.

(02:12:29)
We have designated the Iranian Revolution Regard as a terrorist organization and continue to seek justice for the two terrorist attacks perpetrated on Argentine soil in 1992 and 1994. We have decided to cooperate with the world, but to do so standing tall in the understanding that only a nation that is politically relevant, economically influential and militarily respected can truly be a master of its own destiny. Mr. President, just as I have shown you how the UN failed to do what it was supposed to do, now I want to tell you how it has excelled at what no one asked it to do and what it should never have been doing, because alongside that failure, they have built a bureaucratic Leviathan devoted to deciding how the peoples of the world and their citizens should live. This amounts to a curious mixture of anarchy and tyranny.

(02:13:23)
Impotence in the face of those who break the most basic rules such as bloodthirsty dictatorships and terrorist organizations, coupled with Orwellian control and impositions on liberal democracies that abide by the rules. We saw this with the millennium agenda. We saw it with the 2030 agenda, with economic regulation, gender agendas, environmental extremism and unchecked immigration. And every time they failed, rather than reviewing the model or apologizing, they doubled down as they are already doing with the 2045 agenda, which I say now, will fail. But perhaps the most serious example, the one that forever should shame this organization is quite another. That is how they manage the pandemic. During the pandemic, bodies under the auspices of this house put themselves before scientific evidence and the sovereignty of nations and promoted forced lockdown policies throughout the world that ruined jobs, that ruined the education of entire generation of children and cost the lives of millions of people who died alone without basic medical care.

(02:14:29)
Where some allege a public health policy error, we see a global experiment in social control disguised as science. And when a state wearing public health blinkers deprives its population of the right to work, to receive an education and to bid farewell to their dead, this results in millions of unavoidable deaths. There is a word for it, genocide. That happens in many countries, including Argentina, which boasted of being the World Health Organization's star pupil. And that is why we decided to leave the World Health Organization. Added to that is something more subtle, but equally damaging, the psychological terror instilled by the state. For years, citizens around the world were told that they should be afraid. Afraid of their neighbors, of the air they breathed, of leaving their homes. That fear wasn't a mere side effect. It was the chosen instrument of their government.

(02:15:23)
The problem is that emergencies eventually pass, fear passes, generations move on, but the institutions and powers created on the pretext of those alleged emergencies remain. And if for a moment we allow ourselves to believe that the lesson had been learned after so many failures, the arrival of artificial intelligence demonstrates quite something else. The printing press, the steam engine, electricity, the internet, every great technological revolution has been accompanied by fears about what it would destroy, particularly jobs. There is no doubt that this is one of the most effective ways of instilling fear in human beings, given the role of work as a means of-

Speaker 4 (02:16:00):

... human beings, given the role of work as a means of subsistence. Take the industrial revolution as an example. When it began, the world was home to some 800 million human beings. If, in keeping with the Luddites and the perennial pessimists, employment had at best remained constant, then given that the world's population has since increased more than tenfold, the global employment rate today would be at 90%.

(02:16:33)
That is absurd. Something that few seem to have stopped to consider, except perhaps those of us with a passion for reading Borges, who love his approach for testing an idea by taking it to its logical extreme. Ultimately, these technological advances have not only failed to produce any of the catastrophes, but in addition, all of these ended up bringing an end to what human beings were able to do.

(02:17:01)
Today, we have built machines that are able to carry out tasks that only a few months ago seemed out of our reach. Where many see a threat, we see a new frontier. Artificial intelligence, or super intelligence, as Donald Trump said, can double our productivity in a way that we do not yet comprehend.

(02:17:23)
To invoke Adam Smith, artificial intelligence will be the pin factory of the 21st century, and much more besides. It can transform our economies, our medicine, our education, even the way we govern. That calls for prudence, yes, but prudence doesn't mean fear. Moreover, under no circumstances should fear automatically translate into obedience. Indeed, the dystopian scenarios commonly invoked to instill fear and justify state control make no sense from an economic standpoint. The answer lies with Adam Smith. Artificial intelligence, like the division of labor in the case of the pin factory, is an accelerator of productivity growth. Smith noted, however, that the division of labor is limited by the extent of the market. Growth will therefore be constrained by its counterpart in genuine demand, without fiscal deficits or spurious money creation.

(02:18:25)
But that's not all. Those projects must also be financed, and that should be done with the resources of human beings, that is, their initial endowments and level of wealth which correspond to the side of the market. Moreover, the purpose of producing more is to achieve a higher level of consumption, yet the satisfaction generated by consumption increases at a decreasing rate, while the loss of satisfaction involved in surrendering leisure in order to produce more rises disproportionately. Consequently, the point at which the gain from greater consumption is equal to the loss of leisure brings the system to an equilibrium, leaving no room for dystopian terror.

(02:19:06)
That is why when we hear that the state should control artificial intelligence, we should remember something basic. The state is not an abstract creature. It is made up of people, officials, and bureaucrats. Granting it control over innovation means granting some people in the best, and most naive of cases, the power to limit what everyone else can create.

(02:19:28)
History gives us reason to scrutinize such power carefully. For centuries, fear over tomorrow has been used as an argument for restricting freedoms today, always with the same promise. "Give us a part of your freedom, and we will protect you from this new threat." We will apply a different principle. In the face of uncertainty, we propose determination. In the face of fear, courage, in the face of decline, ambition, and in the face of resignation, we propose optimism.

(02:19:58)
That is why I tell you that when it comes to artificial intelligence, Argentina will stand at the forefront of freedom. We have the critical minerals, the energy, the talent, and the capacity to compete at every link in that value chain, and we want to become the most competitive place in the world in which to develop it, with a cutting edge legal framework, a commitment not to regulate preemptively, a commitment not to regulate preemptively, limited liability for companies operating with AI agents and tax incentives.

(02:20:32)
Because artificial intelligence is not geopolitically neutral, the West must lead the development of this technology to ensure that it is consistent with our fundamental libertarian values, namely respect for life, liberty, private property, and the notion of human dignity. In that regard, we fully share President Trump's vision.

(02:20:55)
Mr. President, we are living through one of those strange moments in history when one world begins to disappear before the next has finished being born. These are dangerous times, but they are also extraordinary times, because during long periods of stability, nations manage the world they have inherited.

(02:21:16)
During periods of transformation, some have the opportunity to build the world that is to come. Argentina wants to be one of them. We will continue to participate in multilateral fora in good faith, because some problems mean that we need to work together, but we mustn't confuse cooperation with subordination. We believe in alliances, and above all, in nations.

(02:21:38)
Argentina speaks from the experience of a country that knows its own mistakes. We know the cost of isolation. We know the cost of destroying a currency. We know the cost of turning the state into a permanent obstacle to human initiative. For a century, we tried almost every conceivable way of preventing our own greatness, and we survived, not unscathed, but we survived. Perhaps that is why today we understand something that other nations may forget. Decline is not destiny. It is the result of repeated decisions, and if a course can be chosen, it can also be changed. That is what Argentina is trying to do. We have the energy that the world will need. We have food, we have critical minerals, we have human talent, we have the South Atlantic, and we are a natural gateway to Antarctica. We have something that for far too long we lacked, the will to transform our potential international power.

(02:22:35)
We want an Argentina that is prosperous, influential, and powerful, not to subjugate others, but to be free, not to conquer others, but so that our destiny may be decided by Argentines themselves. That is why I say to the free men and women of the world, to scientists, entrepreneurs and creators, to those who have dreamed of a land where they can make a new beginning, "Look south." There you will find a vast land of fertile fields, oil, minerals, and human talent. A land that has welcomed millions who crossed oceans in the hope that their children would live better lives than they had, and who built one of the most prosperous nations on earth. We have a responsibility to live up to that legacy.

(02:23:20)
We do not know exactly what the world now being born will look like, but we do know what kind of nation we want to be when it arrives. A free nation, a prosperous nation, a sovereign one, a nation capable of defending what is its own, and open to the world. A nation unafraid, once again, to utter a word that for far too long seemed forbidden, greatness.

(02:23:41)
No nation is guaranteed a place in history. It is built generation after generation through work, through freedom, and through the determination of a people who refuse to accept that their best days are behind them. We believe that Argentina still has a great story ahead of it, and we have decided to go out and claim it. May God bless all peoples of the world. May God bless the Argentine Republic. May the forces of heaven be with us, and long live freedom, damn it.

(02:24:21)
On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the president of the Argentine Republic. The Assembly will now hear an address by his excellency, Mr. Alar Karis, president of the Republic of Estonia. I request protocol to escort his excellency and invite him to address the assembly.

Alar Karis (02:25:01):

Mr. President, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. Last year, speaking from this podium, I described the United Nations as an idea of a better world. It is a carefully crafted agreement to safeguard peace and security, promote development and uphold human rights. I still believe in that promise, enshrined in the United Nations charter, but the world around us is changing, and not for the better.

(02:25:34)
Over the past year in particular, it has become increasingly clear that the multilateral world order with the United Nations and the charter in its core, is at a profound turning point. Blatant disregard for international law and the principles of the charter, reinforced by the sense of impunity too often dominates over adherence to the rule of law, and cooperation between countries for a better future.

(02:26:03)
Mutual dependence has come to be treated as a critical vulnerability. Aggression, wars and conflicts risk becoming the new normal. Millions of people are suffering in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, Myanmar. Sometimes we tend to forget that behind the numbers there are always human beings, families separated, children affected, homes destroyed, and lives disrupted by conflict.

(02:26:39)
Over the past three years, more than 1,000 humanitarian workers have lost their lives, and beyond ongoing wars and conflicts, there is a looming crisis brought on by climate change, one at which time is running out for us to act. Indeed, the time to act is now.

(02:26:59)
Estonia, for example, is contributing its share. We have reduced our emissions by 66% over the past 35 years, while transforming our energy system. Yes, the world is on fire, troubles and problems are mounting before our eyes. The cooperative spirit in international relations that emerged after San Francisco, and thus was clearly present after the end of the Cold War, is fading away. The UN is suffering because of it.

(02:27:30)
But it is also true that the United Nations requires profound reforms to be able to tackle the challenges of the 21st century. As such, the question really is, do we let the United Nations, together with its aims and founding principles, just slowly fall apart? Or do we start facing these challenges with a sense of common responsibility, and genuinely try to reform the UN, and start to use the only global framework we have in a responsible and sensible way?

(02:28:09)
The stakes are high, the choice is ours. For Estonia, and I believe for the great majority on UN member states, upholding the principles of the UN charter is of vital interest, but we are also conscious that in order for those principles to remain valid and respected, we need to invest in them as much with our words as with our actions.

(02:28:40)
Ladies and gentlemen, one of the biggest tests for the UN's relevance is Russia's aggression against Ukraine. For more than 12 years ago, since the illegal election of Crimea, and occupation of Eastern Ukraine in 2014, a permanent member of the Security Council, the Russian Federation, has been perpetrating a war of aggression at the very heart of Europe. But aggression disregards the principles of United Nations Charter to its very core. It violates respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and prohibition of use of force against another state.

(02:29:24)
The consequence of Russia's aggression, however, extend beyond Ukraine and Europe. For example, by increasingly targeting Ukraine's Black Sea ports, commercial shipping, crane infrastructure, and alternative export routes, Russia is putting global food security at grave risk. As such, this is a concern for all of us, and rightly so. Russia's actions have been condemned by a large majority of this assembly, but condemnation is not enough. We need to collectively force Russia into peace in Ukraine, to force into a negotiation table by raising the cost of its aggression.

(02:30:09)
For this, we can, and should use the diverse instruments at our disposal, be they economic, diplomatic or political. I strongly encourage more of my fellow heads of state and government to use this occasion to call on Russia to seize its aggression. Those of you who have done so already, be it the global south or north, you have my appreciation.

(02:30:38)
The principles of the UN charter cannot be trampled on. It is our collective task to stand up for men. We should not support the efforts of international mechanisms to document the war crimes, ensure accountability, and provide assistance to those rights have been violated. Estonia is doing its part. We have completed all national procedures, and taken the lead in discussions in Strasbourg to establish the special tribunal as soon as possible.

(02:31:10)
A UN member state whose armed forces have been repeatedly cited in the UN secretary's report for grave violations against children, and conflict related sexual violence should have been no place in UN peacekeeping operations. This is a matter of ensuring that perpetrators' actions have consequences, but it is equally a matter of training trust in, and the integrity of UN peacekeeping.

(02:31:41)
I further call on the UN to stop reflecting, and instead take appropriate actions immediately. Ukraine requires assistance in defending itself, but also in rebuilding the country. Estonia, together with its partners, have worked closely to support Ukraine's cybersecurity and resilience in responding to evolving threats through Tallinn Mechanism, and the IT coalition.

(02:32:10)
Estonia is also proud to be hosting the Ukraine Recovery Conference in 2027, organized in cooperation with our closest friends in the Nordic Baltic region. Building on the outcomes of early conferences, next year's event will be advancing its practical terms, long-term international support for Ukraine and its recovery. As such, it will be a multilateral effort, and example of true cooperation for international peace and security.

(02:32:44)
My fellow leaders, while in situation Ukraine, and Ukraine security, that affects Estonia most directly, we are neither indifferent to, nor unaffected by the impact of other wars, threats and conflicts. The situation in the West Bank and Gaza remains of great concern. Innocent civilians and children must not bear the devastating human cost of war.

(02:33:13)
Estonia has consistently called for upholding international humanitarian law and ensuring safe, rapid and unhindered access of humanitarian aid for those in need. We remain a stable donor in UNRA, and are committed to a credible political process leading to a negotiated two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace, security, and dignity. We have provided food aid to hospitals in Gaza, and stand ready to offer our digital transition expertise in its future reconstruction. Estonia has consistently condemned the attack by Iran against our close partners, the Gulf States, and has shown its readiness to contribute to ensuring freedom of navigation in the region. This is an issue that affects us all.

(02:34:12)
We also see instrumentalization of migration as a means of exerting pressure on countries, whether on the European Union, Eastern and Southern borders, or elsewhere. Irregular immigration is increasingly becoming a security issue, and it requires a coordinated international response.

(02:34:36)
Ladies and gentlemen, if we want a United Nations that is more effective in terms of decision making, more efficient in managing available resources, and up to date on technological developments, we adopt at its shared task to readjust the structure of United Nations around the three pillars, and well as reassess how the United Nations operates.

(02:35:05)
Estonia supports the system-wide reform of a UN80 and humanitarian reset, which are both well underway, and have already delivered some encouraging results. Now it's time to build on this momentum, and to move decisively forward with reforms. We need ambition. For example, the humanitarian sector, alongside stronger data harmonization, could move towards a shared interoperability model that allows many systems to coexist, while quickly and safely exchanging data.

(02:35:50)
Estonian humanitarian organizations are already testing these solutions from Palestine to Sudan. We also need determination. Above all, we need action. Action that strengthens the UN as a main actor responsible for multilateral cooperation, and prepares it for future challenges.

(02:36:13)
This year, the United Nations is set to make arguably one of its most [inaudible 02:36:19] decisions, the selection and appointment of its next secretary general. As an active member of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group, Estonia has stood for transparent, fair, and inclusive process. At this challenging time for the organization, we need a strong and principled leader, with an impeccable track record in championing and upholding international law, human rights, and the principles of the charter. Estonia also feels that after 81 years, it is time for organization to be led by a woman.

(02:37:02)
Allow me to take this opportunity to commend and express our gratitude to our current secretary general, Mr. Antonio Guterres, for his steadfast commitment to the principles of the UN charter, including his support for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

(02:37:21)
With regard to the Security Council, it must be said that its inability to take timely and decisive decisions on some of the worst crisis we are seeing today risks rendering the United Nations irrelevant. We have not seen unified and decisive council action on Ukraine, Sudan, or in Myanmar. The use of the veto, and the threat of its use continue to loom over the council, and paralyze any of its attempts to take action. Estonia has strongly advocated for permanent members to refrain from vetoing resolutions aimed at ending mass atrocities in line with the France, Mexico proposal, and the ACT code of conduct.

(02:38:12)
It is also important to call on the Security Council members to start fully implementing Article 27(3) of the charter once again, and to abstain in cases where members of the council are a party to a dispute. The General Assembly Resolution, United for Peace, gives the most representative and democratic body of the United Nation a toolbox to act on matters related to international peace and security when the council is unable to deliver. In concert, we must reinforce the role of a general assembly when it comes to peace and security, and this will help us in collectively finding solutions that the council is powerless. Ladies and gentlemen, Estonia firmly believes with respect of human rights is a prerequisite for peace, security and prosperity. We stand firmly behind the United Nations human rights system, and will continue to defend and strengthen it. As one of the first supporters of a Global Alliance for Human Rights, Estonia feels that human rights should once again be at the center of a world we choose to build.

(02:39:33)
Estonia is a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for period from 2026 to 2028, and is currently serving as vice president of the council. As a country ranked among the world's top three for press freedom, we are committed to promoting media freedom, protecting journalists, and enhancing media literacy. We will continue our strong commitment to women's rights and gender equality, including sexual and reproductive health and rights. Together with New Zealand and Columbia, Estonia is leading negotiations on the Human Rights Council on the resolution on preventing maternal mortality and mobility. Maternal survivor is a question of justice, and human rights, not only healthcare.

(02:40:26)
Estonia stands firmly for ending all forms of violence against children. One of the greatest aspects of Russia's war against Ukraine is a mass deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children, which is systematic and deliberate attempt to erase their Ukrainian identity. It is a war crime, and a crime against humanity.

(02:40:48)
We therefore reiterate the call of the General Assembly resolution adopted on the 3rd of December, 2025 and demand that the Russian Federation ensure a safe, immediate and unconditional return of all forcibly transferred and deported Ukrainian children. We thank all of our international partners working to reunite the children with their families. In particular, US First Lady Melania Trump for a remarkable humanitarian initiative.

(02:41:21)
Ladies and gentlemen, artificial intelligence is here to stay and to be used to assist us, as has been the case with every major technology throughout human history. Like any new technology, AI poses risks and bring challenges, but with knowledge, wisdom and unity, we can put it use in the service of humanity. As a co-chair of the first UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance, alongside with El Salvador, Estonia has proudly brought its knowledge and experience in service of the UN and its member states.

(02:42:01)
Personally, I had an honor to becoming one of the commissioners of AI for Good Global Commission this summer. For me, this role means both trust and responsibility to help ensure that AI serves people, that its use is secure and reliable, and that its benefits reach as many countries and communities as possible.

(02:42:25)
As a current president of a UNICEF Executive Board, Estonia has been paying particular attention to the topic of innovation in education, notably how to advance in a responsible way, safe, inclusive, and child-centered learning with the support of AI. In Estonia, we have introduced a massive education innovation program we call the AI Leap, whose aim is to assist schools, students, and teachers alike to adapt to the age of AI, and foster meaningful learning.

(02:42:58)
Artificial intelligence should empower teaching and learning, rather than replace them. Under the auspices of the United Nation, notably through close cooperation with UNICEF, we are bringing our experience and best practice to the global scene, ensuring that AI creates equal opportunities for all humanity.

(02:43:19)
We know for certain that digitalization, which has now been reinforced by AI, has abled our small country to grow, innovate, and connect globally. This is why we have shared our experience with around 150 other countries worldwide, and this is also why Estonia has nominated a candidate for the position of director of the ITU Development Bureau. You can trust us to work to turn connectivity into lasting capability, and to assure that no country is left behind in the digital transformation. We hope to count on your valuable support.

(02:44:03)
Ladies and gentlemen, the very fact that we are gathered here today should give us hope that we still share a commitment to the United Nation Charter, and to multilateral cooperation. Otherwise, why would we keep coming to New York year after year? Let us preserve what matters, adapt where we must, and design the future together. We have a choice to shape change, or to be shaped by it, and we can only shape it if we stand together. Thank you very much for your attention.

Speaker 4 (02:44:49):

On behalf of the assembly, I wish to thank the president of the Republic of Estonia. The assembly will now hear an address by his excellency, Jose Ramos-Horta, President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. I request protocol to escort his excellency and invite him to address the assembly.

Speaker 5 (02:45:38):

Mr. President, esteemed Secretary General Antonio Guterres, I'm going to speak to Antonio Guterres. On a winter morning on January 1st, 2017, you entered your office on the 38th floor of the Secretariat building, fully prepared to undertake the most demanding mission of your long and distinguished career. Throughout this remarkable journey, you have remained true to yourself, a compassionate and enlightened leader, tireless, humble, and approachable, neither dazzled by the promise of your office, nor daunted by the immense weight of an unrelenting agenda 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You brought to the office neither an ego in constant need of reassurance, nor a vanity requiring daily attention. You have remained humble, honest, and steadfast in your principles, never losing sight of the millions of women and children who have been abandoned and forgotten, caught in the turmoil of wars, unleashed by warlords.

(02:46:55)
As these wars drag on and their human and material costs become ever more unbearable, the firefighters are blamed for failing to extinguish the very fires set by the arsonists themselves. Antonio Guterres, when you leave this building on December 31st, 2026, you will take your place among the great secretaries general, whose legacies will continue to inspire young people around the world to follow your example of service to those most in need.

Jose Ramos-Horta (02:47:31):

... General Assembly, I congratulate you on your election to preside over the 81st session of the General Assembly. You bring to this house the wisdom of five billion people, 60% of the world's population, representing some of the world's oldest, and most sophisticated civilizations.

(02:47:51)
Excellencies, at one time in history, waking up from the horrors of World War II, we were intoxicated with the dreams of the United Nations promising a new done for humanity. After the unimaginable World War II, started by Christian civilized Europe, we could not have hoped for anything less, but it seems that human beings can never really have enough wars, and never really learn lessons of history, never really care.

(02:48:23)
After the Holocaust came to the glorious birth of the state of Israel, but then came the Palestinian Nakba, 1948. Over the following years, we read about the wars of partition, families in South Asia, Korean War, onslaught in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, the infamous Khmer Rouge genocide, later the Bosnian genocide, Rwanda genocide, and so many other wars.

(02:48:51)
Then came the end of Cold War, bringing us euphoria, celebration, new promise of peace. The Berlin Wall collapsed, apartheid ended, but the seeds of future wars were sown, just as NATO and Gorbachev ink the post-Cold War arrangements. The ink had not even dried, and NATO began its fast eastbound expansion.

(02:49:15)
As expected, for more than four years, we have had this devastating war in Ukraine, a war that now has backfired into Russia. Excellencies, we are gathering in this hall of nations, countries, large and small, some insanely rich, too many shockingly poor, but all enjoying equal voting rights. Yet, we know equality is an illusion. Some possess non-threatening antiquated guns, while few others have perfected their nuclear arsenals, now 100 times more destructive than the ones dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. As primitive as they were then, these experimental bombs incinerated two-

Speaker 6 (02:50:00):

Then these experimental bombs incinerated two cities, almost all living beings in them. Those unfortunate ones who survived the blast died long, painful deaths.

(02:50:12)
Russia, US, China, France, the UK, all members of the NPT were joined by four countries, not members of NPT, Israel, India, Pakistan, North Korea. Yes, North Korea had nuclear arsenal estimated to be around 100.

(02:50:28)
And North Korean leaders seem to have learned lessons from Libya, Ukraine, and the ongoing Iran-Israel years war. Dismantle your nuclear capabilities, and you lose the only deterrence you have against a nuclear power deciding to bomb you into submission.

(02:50:47)
On June 30th, 2019, President Trump traveled to DMZ in the Korean Peninsula. The mysterious Swiss-educated leader of North Korea, half the age of the American president, walked halfway and the two leaders engaged in and embrace that promised peace.

(02:51:08)
This is what leaders do to advance peace. They show courage, audacity. President Trump, you did the right thing. Friends of friends, we cherish and embrace our friends, never ignoring them or excluding them from the table.

(02:51:23)
But we talk to adversaries so that we don't become enemies. We talk to enemies to prevent wars, and perhaps we become partners in peace.

(02:51:33)
Those countries amassing nuclear weapons keep us all living near imminent catastrophe. One day, any day by accident, miscalculation, computer error, madness or foolish strategic design, we could become the last human generation.

(02:51:53)
All the while, the brandishing of these weapons reinforces adversity and fear, which create a high barrier to achieving rational cooperation necessary to fulfill our responsibility to future generation. Trillions of dollars are invested in perfecting forms of death. Instead, we invest in a fraction of these trillions in clean water, food, schools, clinics.

(02:52:17)
No thought was given to the tens of millions of fellow human beings pushed back to extreme deprivation by COVID-19, Ukraine-Russia War, and as if innocent bystanders on the periphery had not suffered enough, we are presented with another catastrophe, the Iran War and disruption of vital waterways for trade.

(02:52:39)
We know the madness of Iranian leader seek a regional supremacy, pouring fuel into the fire of religious extremists in neighboring countries to destabilize wealthy stable monarchies. Iranian leader launched unwarrant attacks against neighbors, destroying civilian industries, infrastructures.

(02:52:57)
Iran's rationale for this attack is that those countries host American bases. So is Iran going to launch waves of drones and missile against US bases in Europe? Can we change course? Can we stop sleepwalking into wider wars?

(02:53:13)
My invitation to President Trump, be audacious, be unpredictable, be visionary. Invite all nuclear powers and all major conventional military powers and industries, without exception, to a summit somewhere, maybe a town in Portugal, to talk on no first strike, enhance regular communication between leaders of the nuclear powers, commitment on reduction of nuclear weapon towards total deactivation and destruction of nuclear arsenals over a decade. Be yourself, be President Trump, be audacious, be unpredictable. Do the unthinkable, and you will gain worldwide gratitude and respect.

(02:53:58)
The humanitarian situation in Cuba is heartbreaking. We understand that the US has provide a hundred million in emergency monetary assistance to Cuba through Caritas. In keeping with the US humanitarian tradition towards creating an environment conducive to normal long-term Cuba-US relations, trade relation between Cuba and the US and the rest of the world could be improved.

(02:54:22)
Regarding the situation Israeli-occupied territories, Gaza and West Bank, Timor-Leste joined with the vast majority of UN member states to reaffirm our belief that the two-state solution is the only viable solution for Israelis to live in peace with themselves and with the Palestinians, and for the Palestinians to live in peace with themselves and with the Israelis.

(02:54:46)
The risks are too high to continue an unstable status quo, the opportunity to better sit before us, and the choice is an international order falling to pieces or rising to peace. Regarding Western Sahara, we will count the Moroccan proposal and the recent Security Council resolution as an opportunity for dialogue. As with any situation of this nature, the people directly interested must be consulted on the future status. We hope that a just comprehensive settlement is reached between Moroccan authorities and the Polisario Front.

(02:55:21)
Excellencies, please take some time to look at situation in Sudan, the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today. Look at situation in South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Yemen. These are not abstract. They are people, they are women, they are children, youth in their best years. They are parent, they are grandparents, and they are a grand jury of humanity indicting us all, leaders and business of death. For you are celebrating the tens of billions of dollars in profit from wars and death that you are accomplices, too.

(02:55:57)
How is that we can scroll past the end of the wall before finishing our coffee? How is it a child pulling pieces of his family from the rubble has become a headline so we quickly skip a notification we silence a Tuesday.

(02:56:20)
Behind each of the dead is not a statistic. It is a mother who will spend the rest of her life searching for a face in a crowd that will never appear. It is a boy hiding in silence, learning before he can read that the wall outside his door wants him dead. It is a girl pregnant by the man who came to destroyed her home, carrying inside her both the violence done to her and a life she never chose.

(02:56:49)
We tell ourselves we would never look away if we truly saw it, and yet we saw Rwanda and Bosnia happen right under UN watch. We see it every day life in our pockets in vivid color and still somehow life goes on normally. We finish our meetings, we plan our weekends, we grow inured to the killings of Palestinians.

(02:57:16)
This is not a lack of information. We are drowning in information. We can live stream as it all happens.

(02:57:27)
This is a lack of feeling and numbness we have allowed to settle over us like dust. All this happened before our eyes, but from the power that can make the difference between life and death, there is no response.

(02:57:43)
And worse, we witness diplomatic acrobatics to brush off the bombing of a school or a hospital, saying that it does not really violate international law because the terrorists, quote unquote, may be hiding in the basement of the building. I'm worried, worried that we have started treating a catastrophe as something we can simply coexist with. Worried that the killing of civilians is casually being justified. Worried that total force now sound more viable than diplomacy.

(02:58:19)
This very institution was founded on a promise. All through the archives here, resolution say a ceasefire must halt. A border must not be crossed. A civilian must not be a target. Many of those promises remain unmet, raising concern that the phrase, never again, has lost meaning.

(02:58:42)
I do not have a plan that will end a war by tonight, but I know this, numbness is not neutral. Silence is not safety. Every time we let the suffering of people become background noise, we let ourselves forget how small the distance really is, how little separate your daughter, granddaughter, niece from the girl in the refugee camp you saw on the news last night, how many children right now are learning that a world at war is normality.

(02:59:21)
The more we linger in this fog, the harder it becomes for the hiding child to believe the world is not his enemy. These tragedies are not somebody else's tragedy. They are what we allowed, what we still allow and what we will answer for. There is a painful cry for a better world order, as we witness the weakening into irrelevance of multilateral institutions. No country, regardless of size or power, can address today's interconnected challenges alone.

(02:59:57)
Excellencies, leadership is not merely discovering the angriest instinct of the electorate and amplifying it. Leadership is sometimes telling our own supporters that they are wrong. It is explaining complexity when a slogan would be easier. It is asking people to consider tomorrow when they're angry about today. It is persuading citizens that humanity of others who may worship differently, speak another language or vote for another party does not diminish their own freedoms.

(03:00:36)
The statesmanship requires patience, persuasion, courage to compromise, and above all, it requires an understanding that power brings responsibility, not exemption. The Charter of United Nation was not written to make the strong weak. It was written to prevent the strong from making the world unlivable.

(03:00:57)
Soon, we will elect a new secretary general. The regional rotation president must be preserved. Africa had an unprecedented continuous three term, Boutros Boutros-Ghali 1992-1996, Kofi Annan 1997-2006. Now the Security Council will elect a Latin American as our secretary general for '27-2032.

(03:01:24)
And after more than 80 years of men at the helm of our organization, needless to say, we ought to have enough wisdom and elect a woman with unquestionable integrity, unblemished record, and in defense of human rights, a strong advocacy of gender equality and inclusion, rule of law, democracy, solid experience in senior management in national and multilateral institution.

(03:01:52)
Mr. President, Excellencies for developing countries, particularly small island development states and least developed countries, efficiency must translate into stronger delivery on the ground, not reduce essential support. Timor-Leste urges comprehensive reform, expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories so that developing countries and historically underrepresented regions have a stronger voice in decisions concerning international peace and security. The veto is inconsistent with the sovereign equality of member states.

(03:02:26)
President, Timor-Leste reaffirm the principles of climate justice, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities in the light of different national circumstances. Greater climate ambition must be accompanied by accessible, predictable finance, adaptation support, technology transfer and capacity building.

(03:02:51)
Artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies reshape our societies. Developing countries must actively participate in their governance and development.

(03:03:02)
The Science for Development Summit 2026 was held in Dili, August 2026 under the theme, Science in Service of Life. This was an initiative of myself and my brother, the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, Excellency Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao. We brought into Timor-Leste more than 20 Nobel Laureates, scientists from around the world, leading thinkers to explore how science, technology and innovation can be placed at the service of humanity and the sustainable development.

(03:03:39)
The same spirit of using knowledge, education and human potential in the service of peace will also guide the Chess for Peace Tournament playing for Dili, Timor-Leste in January 2027. Jointly sponsored by my office and Mr. Kirsan, former president of FIDE International Chess Federation, it will bring together young people with over 100 chess masters from around the globe using chess as a tool to promote education, dialogue, friendship, peace among generation.

(03:04:10)
Mr. President, our accession to ASEAN 26 October '25 was a historic moment for our country, making the culmination of 14-year process that began in Timor-Leste formally applied for membership in March 2011.

(03:04:29)
Fellow ASEAN leaders provided us generally technical assistance, capacity building and practical guidance, and they continue to do so. What is required of us strong institutions, capable public servants, effective implementation of ASEAN commitments across political security, economic and social culture communities.

(03:04:52)
Our foreign policy seeks friendship with all, and the hostilities none. We aim to maintain balanced constructive relation with all our major powers development partners. Timor-Leste also brings the energy aspiration of young population. Our young people are increasingly connected to the region and eager to learn, work and contribute.

(03:05:14)
As ASEAN work towards community vision 2045, Timor-Leste will support a united people center and resilient ASEAN. We will also support ASEAN centrality and constructive relations with all external partners. We are small island developing state, a least developed country and a nation whose history demonstrates both the necessity and the possibilities of multilateralism.

(03:05:42)
Last but not least, in parting, I want to share selected message from children and youth, who responded to my invitation a few days ago to write a few words expressing their hopes and dreams so that they are here and they are listening back home in Timor-Leste.

(03:06:01)
I selected 10 sentence for peace for the United Nation General Assembly, giving them a voice. And I begin, and I quote, "From a country that has learned from war, Timor-Leste sends a message to the world. That is, peace is not just a dream, but a decision that we all have to choose," by Olgitan, 16 years old.

(03:06:27)
"We may look different, speak different languages and come from different places, but we all bleed the same color. So why should our difference divide us?" by Elizabeth, 16 years old.

(03:06:39)
"May we build a wall where no child learned the sound of war before the sound of laughter, and where no dream is buried because someone else has hatred," by Emily, 16.

(03:06:51)
"Why should we choose hate and war when love is a choice?" by Irabella, 12 years old.

(03:06:58)
" My voice may be small, but my request is simple. Let children grow up knowing the sound of peace, not the sound of war. Let them inherit schools, homes and opportunities, not fear, destruction and hatred. Let the leaders of today give the children of tomorrow a reason to believe in peace," by Victoria, 12 years old.

(03:07:23)
"Let our difference be bridges between hearts, not walls between nations, so that every child can grow knowing the sound of laughter, instead of the sound of war," Natalia, 17.

(03:07:34)
"Let every weapon fall silent so every child can grow up knowing the sound of peace," by Christian, 16.

(03:07:42)
"I only think that peace in the world begins within us when we learn to love each other unconditionally, forgive sincerely and respect each other despite our differences. The world will become a place full of peace, hope and love," by Meltivido, 12 years old.

(03:08:02)
"Peace is not merely the silence after conflict. Rather, it means we overcome everything peacefully. Let peace be the victory we seek and create a unity for humanity," by Clarissa, 14.

(03:08:14)
"Peace never exists on its own, but begins with us," by Francisco, 14.

(03:08:19)
"For all the people who rule the world, children should not have to learn about all the wars in our history class. We should learn about the names of the stars, the names of peacemakers and how to reach planet Mars with deep, deep respect," Solomon.

(03:08:39)
Excellencies, [foreign language 03:08:42]-

(03:08:44)
Excellencies, and the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, many of us, including heads of states and Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, came together to launch the Global Declaration of Compassion. The Prime Minister of Bhutan and I were among the declaration's first signatories joining its call for shared moral responsibility and greater accountability in global governance.

(03:09:09)
As my friend and fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi has said, "We have globalized markets and technology. The time has now come to globalize compassion."

(03:09:24)
... but as a powerful force to reach justice and peace for all. I thank you and God bless us all.

Dr. Khalilur Rahman (03:09:50):

On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the president of Timor-Leste. The assembly will hear and address by His Excellency, Mr. Mohammed Yunis Menfi, President of the Presidential Council of the State of Libya. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the assembly.

Mohamed Yunus al-Menfi (03:10:48):

Your Excellency, Dr. Khalilur Rahman, President of the General Assembly of the United Nations. Your Excellency, Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, ladies and gentlemen, we meet today as the world undergoes a profound transformation, not only in the balance of power, but in the very concept of power and the ethics of its use. This transformation is reshaping the meaning of security, the nature of alliances, and the capacity of the international order to uphold the foundations and principles upon which and for which it was established.

(03:11:39)
At the heart of these transformations lies a question that transcends the borders of states and continents. How can we build an international order in which the rule of law is an equal right, not a privilege of the most powerful, and how can we make operation a genuine partnership among nations, rather than a carving up of spheres of influence?

(03:12:08)
We in the Arab and Islamic world and on our African continent do not approach this question as observers for we live its consequences every day. That reality unfolds before us at every moment in Palestine, whose delegation we regret has not been able to participate with us in this session.

(03:12:38)
There, the plight of the Palestinian people continues to worsen after decades of occupation, repression, and the alteration of their identity, yet they remain steadfast in their adherence to their right to life and to self-determination. These are rights guaranteed without discrimination by international law and international humanitarian law. All of humanity yearns for international instruments and resolutions to move from texts and promises to a reality and for the right of the Palestinian people to their state to be realized in accordance with international law.

(03:13:20)
The continued undermining of these prospects for its establishment not only squanders opportunities for peace, it also drives the region towards a widening cycle of conflict, the spread of extremism and the search for alternatives amid major expansionist projects that extend beyond occupied Palestine to Syria and Lebanon.

(03:13:49)
Neither the Islamic and Christian holy sites, nor civilians and civilian infrastructure in Palestine have been spared the ravages of this conflict. Its repercussions have extended to the Arabian Gulf, most recently in the attack against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We affirm our full solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its security, its territorial integrity, its citizens and its holy sites. And we reject any targeting that threatens it or endangers Islamic holy sites.

(03:14:24)
The security of the Kingdom and the Gulf, given their Arab and Islamic weight, is not a national matter, but it is a pillar of the security and stability of our region.

(03:14:37)
The ongoing armed conflict in the Sudan, our brotherly neighbor, has made its people the victims of a devastating war for which they are paying a hefty price. In that war, interests and interventions collide, and its effects extend beyond the borders of Sudan, endangering the security and stability of the region and the unity of its states.

(03:15:02)
The instability in the Sahel region represents an existential threat to the integrity of the states. That threat stems from the nexus of terrorism, organized crime, poverty, climate change, displacement and migration and from the widening of the cycle of armed conflict in the region. It is no longer acceptable for the world to regard the Sahel merely as a source of resources and arena for international competition, or a footnote in global decision-making.

(03:15:37)
Africa, whose journey we have followed since the founding of the African Union is not the margin of the world. It is one of the centers of the world to come. Libya does not lie on the edge of Africa. Libya is of Africa, of its history, of its security and of its future.

(03:15:58)
Decades ago, an African will emerged from the Libyan city of Sirte that contributed to the establishment of the African Union. That fact reminds us that Libya has never been merely a bridge between Africa and the Mediterranean, but a partner in shaping the African project itself. We, therefore, view the security of the Sahel region as part of Libya's own security and stability. We view the security and stability of the states, of the region and all our African neighbors, near and far, together with developing Africa all as investment in the common security of Africa and its European neighborhood.

(03:16:44)
This is not assistance provided by one party to another, nor is it a responsibility borne by one party alone. Likewise, we view the Mediterranean Basin not as a barrier between Africa and Europe, but as a shared space for connection. Relations among its countries should move from beyond merely managing migration and crises towards making the Mediterranean a bridge for development, trade, energy transition, investment and common security.

(03:17:14)
Ladies and gentlemen, geographically and politically, Libya stands at the meeting point of these worlds. It is Arab in its identity and language, African in its geography, destiny and belonging, Mediterranean in an intrinsic part of its culture, interests and partnerships and Islamic in its civilizational values which incline towards peace, security and building bridges with its neighbors. The multiplicity of these circles is not a contradiction, but a source of strength, responsibility and opportunity.

(03:17:54)
From this geopolitical vantage point in particular, we have learned a harsh lesson in recent years. When the state weakens, the vacuum does not remain empty. Competing interests fill it. Armed groups become active within it. Criminal and smuggling networks spread, illicit funds seep in, and institutions themselves become arenas of struggle for influence.

(03:18:26)
At that point, the state does not merely lose part of its security. Its national decision-making begins to lose its independence. This brings us to the essence of what sovereignty means to us.

(03:18:43)
Sovereignty is not merely a flag raised or borders drawn on maps, nor is it slogans repeated while judicial and oversight institutions fail to exercise the roles independently and responsibly. Sovereignty means that national decision-making is free. It also means that our cooperation and integration with United Nations bodies are based on transparency, seriousness and impartiality, free from selectivity and double standards.

(03:19:19)
Sovereignty means protecting the rights and dignity of the Libyan people from violations, whoever the perpetrator, and ensuring that no one is above the law, and no one escapes accountability.

(03:19:35)
Sovereignty means that state institutions are stronger than individuals and groups, and that weapons are subject to the law. It also means that the country's wealth remains the property of the people, not spoils to be divided among parties, networks of interest or dubious partnerships that exercise some sort of custodianship over the state. Sovereignty means preventing corrupt money from buying influence. It means preventing influence from becoming an immunity that shields corrupt money. If that cycle becomes entrenched, it weakens the state from within and threatens the survival of its institutions.

(03:20:17)
In this context, we call upon the Security Council to discharge its responsibilities and to follow up on the United Nations reports submitted to it. This includes the report of the panel of experts on violations and cases of non-compliance. We call upon the council to give serious consideration to the panel's recommendations and to take the necessary action within its established mandates.

(03:20:41)
The purpose is to ensure the effective implementation of the council resolutions and the relevant sanctions measures without selectivity or double standards. Documented violations should not become mere recurring facts in reports, nor should accountability end at documentation. The authority of international law and the credibility of its institutions are measured by their ability to move from monitoring violations to holding perpetrators accountable, and from resolution to implementation for all without exception.

(03:21:20)
Sovereignty also means that the state's foreign relations are an extension of its national interests, not an extension of others' conflicts within it. Mr. President, Libya paid a heavy price when regional and international balances of power were transformed into balances within its own territory. Accordingly, our vision for Libya's external relations is clear.

(03:21:48)
We do not seek to replace one influence with another, one access with another, or one dependency with another. We want strong relations with our Arab surroundings, especially our neighboring countries. We want Libya to regain its natural role within its African continent. We want balanced strategic partnerships with our Mediterranean neighbors and our regional international sphere based on a single principle, namely common interests, mutual respect, non-interference, and respect for national sovereignty.

(03:22:26)
Libya's true ally is not one who seeks out the strongest party within it. The true ally is one who wants a strong Libyan state. The true partner is not one whose interests are tied to the continuation of division. The true partner is one whose shared interest with us grows as Libya becomes more united, stable, and prosperous. We want states to compete in Libya on investment, reconstruction, energy, technology and development, not for influence within its institutions.

(03:23:03)
Ladies and gentlemen, after years of political division and polarization that have drained the state and society, Libya no longer needs more crisis management, but rather, the will to end the crisis. Our goal is clear, and if [inaudible 03:23:21] derive their legitimacy from the will of its people, the path to that goal is a return to the people through constitutional and legal mechanisms, referendums and free and fair elections.

(03:23:36)
The people are the source of legitimacy, and it is they who can give institutions their unity and stability. Temporary deals cannot do so, nor can fragile settlements that collapse whenever the balance of power shifts or loyalties change. Here, we welcome the effort and intention of every state sincerely seeking to end the political and institutional division. We also appreciate the-

Translator 1 (03:24:00):

To end the political and institutional division, we also appreciate the role entrusted to the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and its responsibility for facilitating the political process.

(03:24:13)
Nevertheless, past experience obliges us to be clear. Any sustainable political process must not violate four governing principles. First, respect for legitimacy and for the constitutional and legal frameworks in force, without circumventing them or creating political arrangements outside established frameworks and procedures.

(03:24:38)
Second, the principle of national ownership is a red line. International mediation must not turn into custodianship or into solutions crafted from abroad. The will of Libyans is the foundation, and the inclusion of all the different parties without exclusion or imposition is the true guarantee of the sustainability of any solution.

(03:25:03)
Third, ensuring equal opportunities for all parties, as well as rejecting the use of force, influence, or effect [inaudible 03:25:12] to impose predetermined political outcomes.

(03:25:15)
Fourth, commitment to transparency in understandings and agreements. This requires defining the phases of implementation, their timelines, and the entities responsible for them. It also requires establishing clear mechanisms for oversight and accountability, so as to ensure outcomes that are implementable, legally sound and capable of producing legitimate and stable institutions.

(03:25:42)
Experience has taught us that fragile settlements can begin to unravel as soon as the balance of power shifts or their outcomes emerge. Any arrangements that disregard national legal frameworks expose themselves to challenge and dispute. They reproduce the crisis rather than end it. Sustainable legitimacy and legality are not created by a fait accompli, nor are they protected by shifting balances of power. They are created by the will of the people and protected by the law.

(03:26:15)
In translating these principles into national responsibility and concrete action, we announce from this rostrum the launch of work on a national committee for deescalation and confidence building. The committee will draw on national and local initiatives. It will aim to prevent not conflicts, contain escalation, and prevent its recurrence. This is in addition to supporting reconciliation and creating a safe environment for the political and electoral process. Here, we call upon all Libyan parties to engage in this framework. We also call upon the UN and Libya's partners to support and facilitate it with full respect for sovereignty and national ownership.

(03:27:00)
Ladies and gentlemen, a Libya that regains its sovereignty and the unity of its institutions will not be a gain for Libyans alone. It will be a force for stability in the Arab world, a source of strategic depth for security and development in Africa, a responsible partner in the Mediterranean, and a bridge for cooperation between North and South. From this roster, Libya announces its candidacy for the membership of the Security Council for the term 2028- 2029 for the African seat. Its campaign is conducted under the slogan Consolidating Justice for Security and Peace, Libya, A Bridge Among Nations. Libya looks forward to the confidence and support of the member states in this endeavor.

(03:27:46)
This candidacy is not merely a diplomatic ambition. It embodies a national will for Libya to regain its natural role in the international arena and to shoulder its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It stems from a firm conviction that peace is built on not merely on the absence of conflict, but on establishing justice, and addressing the causes of injustice and instability.

(03:28:17)
Libya does not seek a seat merely to occupy a position. Rather. It seeks to contribute to building a more equitable international order and to serve as a bridge among nations, a voice for consensus, and an active partner in peacemaking. Hence, our message to our friends and partners is not that they should abandon their interest in Libya, but that they should build those interests with us on a firmer foundation, namely that their interests lie in Libya's stability, not in the fragility of institutions, and in partnership with Libya, not in influence within it. We Libyans bear the responsibility, the primary responsibility. Patriotism is not only the defense of sovereignty against negative foreign interference. It also is the protection of the state from corruption within, the safeguarding of public funds, the upholding of the rule of law, and the placing the nation above power and self-interest. Libya today has an opportunity to leave behind the cycle of transitional phases and to enter the era of the state. It has an opportunity to regain the role befitting its history, its position and its standing among nations. Libya does not want to be an arena on whose soil the interests of others are balanced, but a state that shapes its own balance by its own will. It does not want others to compete for influence within it, but to compete for partnership with it.

(03:29:46)
That is the path we choose for Libya, a state sovereign in its decisions, unified in its institutions, just among its citizens, and a partner for peace and stability in its region and the world. That is the right of our people, our responsibility towards them, and our trust to future generations. May the peace and mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.

Translator 2 (03:30:21):

On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Presidential Council of the State of Libya. The assembly will now hear an address by his excellency, Surangel Whipps, President of the Republic of Palau. I request protocol to escort his excellency, and I invite him to address this August assembly.

President Surangel Whipps (03:31:04):

Mr. President, congratulations on your successful election as president of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. Secretary General excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, alii, and warm greetings from the people of Palau.

(03:31:28)
Secretary General Antonio Gutierrez, thank you for your leadership and service to the United Nations. Your climate leadership, steadfast defense of multilateralism, international law, human dignity, and the voices of the vulnerable carries a special meaning for small island developing states.

(03:31:56)
I stand before this assembly for a people whose future depends on a healthy ocean, and a stable climate, and the sovereign right to determine their own path. For us, sovereignty is lived in our ability to feed our people from healthy oceans, power our homes independently from distant fuel markets, and protect our shorelines from rising seas and chart our own path. It is a responsibility that grows more urgent each day, especially as UNEP's latest findings make clear that the world is now certain to exceed 1.5. This reality must strengthen our resolve to deliver what we have promised, prepare our communities for the impacts science tells us are inevitable.

(03:33:04)
Small island states, young people, scientists, civil society, indigenous communities, and responsible partners have already raised climate ambition, exhilarated the shift to renewable energy, and exposed the true cost of inaction. We have called for ambition that matches science, demonstrated that ocean stewardship can protect while supporting livelihoods, and insisted on a stronger voice for small island states in decisions that shape our future.

(03:33:45)
Pacific leaders have charted a practical roadmap through the Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity, UBPP. Launched at COP28 and reinforced by the Pacific leaders' Ocean statement adopted in Palau, UBPP unites 22 Pacific countries and territories to mobilize accessible, catalytic investment for 100% sustainable ocean management, robust food systems, and resilience livelihoods, advancing our shared 30 by 30 commitment. We continue to seek and expand investment to the UBPP to meet its goals and deliver lasting resilience for our communities. Palau is translating that UBPP vision into national action. We have launched our Sustainable Ocean Policy that commits 100% effective, science-based, and adaptive management of our ocean, balancing protection with production to deliver the optimal benefits for our people.

(03:35:05)
In line with this effort, with support from partners like Japan, we are working to develop fishing ports and other critical infrastructure to truly capture the value of resources harvested in our waters. As Chair of the Pacific Island Forum and AOSIS and through Palau's leadership on the high level panel for sustainable ocean economy, we continue to call for an ocean agenda that meets the scale of this challenge.

(03:35:42)
But Mr. President, the task now is delivery. We need financing that reaches communities without adding debt, adaptation finance that is accessible to countries already bearing the cost of the problems they did not create, and full support of the loss and damage and the special circumstances of SIDS. This means grant-based and concessional finance, grid readiness and storage, productive energy use, and support that respects our circumstances while enabling delivery at scale. Those who contributed the least to this climate crisis yet confront the worst threats of rising sea levels must not be burdened with debt simply to purchase a life jacket for their survival. International financial institutions must look beyond income and account for vulnerabilities of SIDS.

(03:36:57)
Climate exposure, remoteness, narrow economies, and limited access to affordable finance must be considered. The Antigua and Barbuda agenda for SIDS provides a strong roadmap for resilience, but requires urgent, predictable, and scaled up support. The Pacific Resilience Facility is one practical answer, the PRF. Endorsed by the Pacific leaders, the PRF is the first Pacific led, owned and managed regional financing facility dedicated to climate and disaster resilience, and the first international financial institution collectively owned by the Pacific focused on turning resources into real community level resilience. The PRF reflects the kind of capital the world should support. Resilience is also about safeguarding public health. And I commend Palau's First Lady for advancing efforts to combat tobacco and nicotine use with a focus on our youth. Her efforts led to the formal request to the UN Secretary General to initiate a WHO review of nicotine as a psychotropic substance. Globally, nicotine claims over seven million lives annually, and more than a billion trapped in addiction. Protecting our future requires expanding prevention, enhancing cessation support, and enacting strong policies to diminish the appeal and affordability of these harmful products. No country should have to choose between health of its children and the commercial interest of an industry that is built on addiction. We call for stronger international cooperation to protect young people from nicotine dependence and to put public health before profit.

(03:39:12)
Resilience must also transform into how we power our homes, move our people, and connect our islands. Energy security is climate security and national security. Through the Mana Bara Call to Action, the Pacific have reaffirmed a shared vision of 100% renewable energy and a just, inclusive, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels. This is not about reducing emissions. It is about reducing vulnerability to imported fuel, external shocks, and prices we do not control. Palau is carrying that regional commitment into national action. Our latest commitment targets a 44% reduction in fossil fuel use by 2035, supported by renewable energy generation and practical policies that make the transition affordable and reliable.

(03:40:26)
Our energy future reflects a larger truth. Resilience requires partnership shaped by our priorities and respects our sovereignty. How we protect our ocean, confront climate change and power our islands leads directly to how the world engages with us. Partnership must never become before, must never become pressure, and assistance must never come at the cost of the nation's values, institutions or the freedom to choose.

(03:41:10)
Sovereignty is not isolation. It is the freedom to cooperate through mutual respect, transparency, accountability, dialogue, and international law. This principle matters because we have seen what can happen when tensions build, when concerns are ignored and when channels for dialogue are left too narrow for the challenges before us.

(03:41:39)
The Russia-Ukraine war is a painful reminder of the tragic human toll that occurs when diplomacy gives way to conflict, and how challenging it is to deescalate tensions once violence erupts. The Strait of Hormuz situation demonstrates how quickly disruption in an important waterway threatens international stability, energy security, and trade worldwide. Reaffirming the primary responsibility of the UN Charter to maintain global peace and security, we uphold the sovereignty of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, and condemn the actions that of Iran to jeopardize maritime security and aim to obstruct, close and interfere with international navigation through the Strait.

(03:42:38)
At our Pacific leaders meeting in Palau, leaders expressed deep concern that China's ballistic missile test overflew several Pacific nations without adequate notice. Let me remind you, our region must never be treated as an empty expanse for strategic competition or test of military power. The Pacific is home to peoples, communities, cultures, fisheries and ecosystems. It is the foundation of our security and the source of our nourishment and lifeline for the global community.

(03:43:20)
In the face of these risks, the Pacific way is to address tensions before they become crisis, make room for dialogue before disagreement becomes conflict, seek inclusion rather than isolation, and uphold respect, restraint and international law. The Pacific is our home, not a theater for geopolitical competition. It must remain an ocean of peace where nations meet in cooperation, international law is respected, and the security of the Pacific peoples is never compromised.

(03:43:59)
In Palau, we say we are a friend to all. We choose our partners based on our shared values of democracy, human rights, and a rules-based international order, principles that underpin our friendship with Taiwan, a trusted partner that can contribute even more fully if given the space to do so. The UN Charter begins with the commitment, we the peoples, yet the UN marginalizes Taiwan's 23 million people, disregarding that foundational purpose. We stand with like-minded partners in calling for the reversal of misrepresenterpretations of the rules and procedures that have constrained Taiwan's meaningful participation in this body. Under the UN Charter, small states are sovereign states with the right to determine their own future, choose their partners and pursue development that serves their people. We urge all parties to preserve peace and stability, resolve differences peacefully, and choose dialogue over escalation.

(03:45:24)
Beyond politics and policy, one truth should unite us. Our children and their children deserve a world that is safe, healthy and clean. For that reason, our discussions here and beyond must lead to action, action that protects the conditions in which every child can live, grow, and thrive. We acknowledge while not yet at the scale required, that the architecture is being built, political momentum is growing, and resources are beginning to mobilize, even amidst a complex geopolitical landscape.

(03:46:14)
Our traditional wisdom reminds us, [foreign language 03:46:19]. Be strong and do not give up, the shore is near. The promise of multilateralism is that even the smallest can be heard and that the many voices shaped by different histories and experiences can move toward a common shore. In Palau, we also say, [foreign language 03:46:43]. Knowledge is like ocean waves. It comes in many forms and sizes, yet no wave overpowers another, and they ultimately reach the same shore.

(03:46:58)
Let us leave this assembly committed to multilateralism that honors every voice, values every form of knowledge, and carries us toward a safer, healthier and more peaceful world. Mesulang, and I thank you.

Translator 2 (03:47:25):

On behalf of the assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Republic of Palau. The assembly will hear and address by his excellency, Nikos Christodoulides, President of the Republic of Cyprus. I request protocol to please escort his excellency and invite him to address the assembly.

President Nikos Christodoulides (03:48:12):

Mr. President, excellencies. As the UN Secretary General reminded us a few years ago, the United Nations is a product of hope. 81 years after its birth, that hope is being tested.

(03:48:33)
Technology, including artificial intelligence, is advancing at rapid speed. Climate change is reshaping our societies. The international landscape is becoming more complex, more congested, and more unpredictable. The international order is not simply changing. It is being tested in unprecedented manner, but it is in such times of uncertainty that the foundational values of multilateralists must be protected. International law, the UN Charter, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, the peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for human rights, the equality of states. All these are not principles of the past. There are principles that transcend time, the essential ingredient for the present and for the future.

(03:49:49)
The challenge before us is therefore, clear. As the world changes, our institutions must be able to respond to new realities and threats, while guided by the painful lessons of history and the vision of the founding fathers of this organization. And this is the essence of the theme of the 81st General Assembly. Restoring trust, managing transformation, a United Nations that delivers for all.

(03:50:26)
Ladies and gentlemen, transformation is inevitable. What must remain constant is the UN Charter is our compass. It directs all of us irrespective of power, size and leverage. For small size countries, the principle of equality of states is fundamental, and it has formed the abiding trust between us. We rely on an international system in which sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected. We expect international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to be applied consistently. We believe in the peaceful resolution of disputes, and we demand that the rights of every state be protected. These are the integral elements of our collective trust, and this is the code of conduct of Cyprus's diplomatic engagement. And in a rapidly changing goal, small size states must seek synergies while continuing to pursue strategic autonomy.

(03:51:49)
Preserving trust also requires institutions capable of responding to the world as it is today. The United Nations must therefore continue to evolve. The UNAT initiative is an important part of this effort. The pact for the future and the 2030 agenda and its sustainable development goals are also part of the effort to ensure that multilateral corporation can respond to the needs of our time.

(03:52:25)
This moment of reform also comes as the UN Secretary General approaches the completion of a decade leading this organization. Cyprus wishes to acknowledge his leadership during a period of extraordinary global development, his steadfast commitment to multilateralism, and his effort to strengthen and reform the UN. But reforming our structural setup is only part of the answer. What is also needed is a genuine willingness of member states to contribute and protect the multilateral system. After all, states bring different capabilities, experiences and perspectives.

(03:53:18)
Great powers have scale, smaller states must have persuasion. We cannot compel, but we can coalesce. We cannot dictate outcomes, but together, we can help shape them. There is no doubt that the challenges of today require cooperation and partnerships based on the knowledge of regions and of the realities, and the Republic of Cyprus has consistently sought to do exactly that. And of course, it has built the capabilities for it.

(03:53:55)
Our geographical position at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa, place us close to some of the most complex dynamics of our world. At the same time, it give us the opportunity to actively contribute, to address them. Following the Hamas 2023 terrorist attack and the devastating humanitarian situation in Gaza, Cyprus has put forward the Amalthea Maritime Humanitarian Corridor. Cyprus could offer something specific. Its geographical position, its infrastructure, its excellent relationship with all countries in the region, and the will to engage with international partners through cooperation, including with the UN 2720 Mechanism. That idea became a proposal and evolve into a functioning humanitarian route, one that keeps delivering as we speak.

(03:54:58)
Cyprus has also played a constructive role in times of emergency. When third country nationals needed to be evacuated from our neighborhood, my country has said time and time again, it's a safe harbor. Our infrastructure and our resources have been made available in order to facilitate safe passage for people in danger. In the last three years alone, we help evacuate thousands of citizens from 70 different countries. And through Cyprus aid, we have provided humanitarian assistance to countries facing natural disasters. Cyprus was among the first responders following the catastrophic earthquake in Venezuela and the flash floods in Nepal. The devastating humanitarian situation in Sudan and the wider Sahel region have also been a priority for my country, with a large percentage of our resources directed to the region.

(03:56:04)
Ladies and gentlemen, rising temperatures, water scarcity and extreme weather affect us all, transcending borders and politics. In the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, the interwoven and political realities that we're facing are further amplified by the climate crisis. Cooperation is therefore the only answer. This is the purpose of Cyprus' regional initiative on climate change. To bring together countries of the region, the strengthening our collective capacity for adaptation, mitigation, and resilience.

(03:56:49)
Another manifestation of this is the Cyprus Regional Aerial Firefighting Station hosted at Paphos Air Base and supported by the European Union. It offers an operational hub for aerial firefighting and rapid response, and a center of excellence for training, interoperability, and capacity building. Reflecting its emphasis on regional ownership, it brings together partners from the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf.

(03:57:25)
This commitment to regional cooperation, regional engagement is also demonstrated through the Cyprus Center for Land, Open Seas and Port Security, jointly created with the United States. In this four year of operation, it has provided specialized training to thousands of government officials from more than 50 countries from the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.

(03:57:56)
Excellencies, the ability to bring different interests together was also at the heart of the Cyprus-

President Nikos Christodoulides (03:58:00):

... different interests together was also at the heart of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first half of this year. For six months, a country of fewer than one million people assumed the responsibility of steering the work of a union of 450 million citizens. For Cyprus, this was both a responsibility and an opportunity to listen, to negotiate, to build consensus, and to help the European Union and its member states move forward on common priorities. Our size did not diminish the responsibility to lead, nor did it diminish our ability to fulfill it. Our position is clear: In an era of polycrisis, isolation is the antithesis of responsibility and a luxury we cannot afford. Cyprus proved to be an active and responsible party of the international community, a contributor in crisis management, an actor in humanitarian assistance, a proponent of regional synergies, and a defender of the protection of human rights and multilateralism.

(03:59:29)
Esteemed Delegates, in this time of transformation, the credibility of the UN must be safeguarded. And credibility requires consistency in the application of international law. For my country, for Cyprus, this is not an abstract principle. It is a painful existential reality. 52 years have passed since the illegal Turkish invasion of Cyprus, an act of aggression violating the core principles of the UN Charter. An ongoing, flagrant violation of international law, with more than a third of the territory of Cyprus remaining under Turkish occupation.

(04:00:21)
For 52 years, the tens of thousands of displaced and their descendants are prevented from returning to their homes. For 52 years, Varosha remains sealed off, with Turkey still in defiance of its clear and very specific obligations set out in the relevant UN resolutions.

(04:00:46)
For 52 years, we are experiencing violations of fundamental human rights, the destruction of religious and cultural heritage, and the organized transfer of settlers amounting to demographic change. Pain and immense suffering are the daily reality of the relatives of the missing persons, that to this day are demanding answers as to the fate of their loved ones.

(04:01:17)
And for 52 years, the principles at stake have remained the same. Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity are not rhetorical vehicles, nor are they to be applied selectively depending on who the perpetrator is. These principles do not become less important with the passage of time, nor do the resolutions of this organization. UN resolutions cannot be upheld in one case and disregarded, fully disregarded, in another. And the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a state cannot depend on its size, its power, or the passage of the time. And this is not only a question for Cyprus, it goes to the credibility of the international system itself. If we ask states to believe in multilateralism, if we expect them to be active contributors, then they must be able to trust that the principles and decisions of our institutions will be upheld without exception.

(04:02:39)
Ladies and gentlemen, I listened very carefully to the speech of President Erdogan yesterday: references to international law, to the respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, to illegal occupation, to the drama of refugees. Yet, in relation to my country, in relation to Cyprus, Turkey is doing exactly the opposite. Hypocrisy of the highest form. President Erdogan yesterday also quoted extensively from the UN Charter, but politicians are judged not by their words, but by their deeds. And if Mr. Erdogan wants to quote from the Charter, he must first apply the Charter.

(04:03:36)
The UN Security Council has established the framework for the solution of the Cyprus problem. That framework of a Bizonal Bicommunal Federation with political equality remains the only basis on which a comprehensive settlement must be reached. And I remain fully committed to achieving a functional and viable solution. I'm ready to resume negotiations from where they left off, building on the substantial work already achieved.

(04:04:11)
The common ground is there: the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, international law, and the law, values and principles of the European Union. What is now required is political will by all parties. And genuine willingness to return to meaningful negotiations, to engage seriously, to build on the body of work already achieved, and to reach a settlement that reunifies our country and our people. A settlement that allows Greek and Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins to live together in peace, security and prosperity.

(04:04:59)
On my side, let me repeat it, I'm fully committed. Because, ladies and gentlemen, division will not be accepted. This cannot and will not be the future for my country and my people, ever. Our determination to reunify our island is firm. I therefore call on my Turkish Cypriot compatriots to perceive our future together as the opportunity for prosperity. And of course, I call on President Erdogan to give the green light for substantive negotiations within the UN-agreed framework.

(04:05:45)
Excellencies, I mentioned several times how change is inevitable. But the choices we make in response to change are ours. For countries like Cyprus, the answer must be cooperation with purpose. Partnerships that deliver when they are needed, formed by the belief that in times of need, we must act together. This is the choice to make. We can allow divisions to weaken the institutions we build together or we can choose to strengthen them. We can allow differences in power to determine whose voice matters or we can reaffirm the principles on which this organization was founded.

(04:06:38)
For Cyprus, there is no such dilemma. We believe in a United Nations that protects the principle of its Charter and has the capacity to act upon them. We believe in a multilateral system in which every state has both rights and responsibilities. And we believe that small-sized states have a particular role to play, not on the margins of international affairs, but as active participants in shaping our common future.

(04:07:17)
And for the Republic of Cyprus, that means defending the principles on which we depend, contributing to the institutions in which we believe, building partnerships for the common good, taking initiatives to create useful synergies, and acting responsibly when we can affect change.

(04:07:41)
Your Excellencies, despite the challenges because of the Turkish occupation, we remain resilient and steadfast in our faith in the multilateral system. Because in the end, the strength of multilateralism is measured by whether every member state believes that its voice matters, its rights are protected, and its contribution has value. That is how we restore trust. That is how we manage transformation. And that is how we build a United Nations that truly delivers for all. Thank you very much.

Chair (04:08:30):

On behalf of the Assembly, I thank the president of the Republic of Cyprus.

(04:08:43)
The Assembly will now hear an address by his excellency, Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona, president of the Dominican Republic. I request protocol to please escort his excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

President Luis Abinader (04:09:20):

Excellency Khalilur Rahman, president of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Your Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General. Heads of State and Government, Distinguished Heads of Delegation, ladies and gentlemen.

(04:09:41)
At the outset, on behalf of the Dominican people, I wish to congratulate you, Mr. President, upon your election, and express to Secretary-General Guterres, in his last GA session at the helm of this organization, our gratitude to him for his commitment to peace. You have brought us together to restore trust and manage transformation. To achieve this, we now require serenity, clarity, and unity.

(04:10:15)
Serenity, because the international order is going through a profound transition. Clarity, because this organization faces an unprecedented financial situation, armed conflicts that are ongoing, and a technological revolution that is progressing quicker than our ability to govern it. And unity, because none of these challenges can be addressed by one country acting alone.

(04:10:42)
As a developing island country, the Dominican Republic is well aware of vulnerability. Situations that happen far away from our coasts can directly impact the dinner tables of our families. The wars in Europe and the Middle East have caused the prices of food and energy to skyrocket. My country imports all of the fuel that it consumes. We are not the ones that set the prices, however, the prices impact us without us being able to control them. And this is why we advocate deescalation, freedom of navigation, and for a diplomatic solution that prevents nuclear proliferation in the region.

(04:11:25)
Mr. President, for countries like ours, a rules- based order is a condition for our security and a guarantee that it is the norms agreed on by everyone, and not force that resolve disputes between nations. It's for this reason that it's necessary to restore trust in this organization. And three things are necessary in this regard to achieve it: renewing representation, renewing peacekeeping operations, and renewing support for developing countries.

(04:11:58)
We support the UN80 initiative with a sense of conviction. However, there is no reform that can be successful without resources behind it, and that's why the Dominican Republic is complying and playing a role. This year, we were one of the first countries to fully pay our contribution to the regular budget.

(04:12:18)
Renewing representation requires a Security Council that looks more like the multipolar world of the present, and it also requires thinking about who will lead this organization next. This year, I affirmed from this very same rostrum that it was the turn of Latin America and the Caribbean to provide renewed leadership. And that the time had come for a woman to be Secretary-General of this organization. The candidates that are running confirm this. In more than 80 years, no woman has led this organization. We trust that the Security Council and the General Assembly will rise to this moment.

(04:13:01)
Ladies and gentlemen, renewing peacekeeping operations, without a shadow of a doubt, is our most urgent task. Today, transnational criminal networks control territories, they traffic arms and people, and they recruit children. Haiti, our neighbor, is the clearest example of this. Since 2021, the Dominican Republic has warned in each and every forum that this crisis is a threat to the peace and security of the region, and particularly for my country. A year ago, from this same rostrum, I called upon the Council to act without delay. Six days later, the Council adopted Resolution 2793 that authorized a Gang Suppression Force with a strong mandate, and with the support of a United Nations support office. I thank the United States and Panama for their leadership, as well as Canada and other donors for their support, Kenya for their commitment, and the commitment of all of the countries who today have their men and women serving in Haiti.

(04:14:08)
However, the reality does not allow us to wait. One month ago, in the Haitian community of Kenscoff, in just one night, gangs murdered no less than 47 people, including five children. Close to a million and a half of Haitians have been displaced from their homes. Half of them are children. This Assembly cannot resign to seeing massacres become the norm for the long-suffering Haitian people.

(04:14:43)
What the Council approved, now requires the means to implement it. First, the deployment of the force that today is only funded up to a fifth and only has up to a fifth of the troops authorized. Second, fulfilling the arms embargo, and sanctioning those who are financing and protecting gangs. And thirdly, strengthening the police, the armed forces, and the Haitian justice system, so that the security can be sustained. The mandate of the force expires on the 30th of September. It's for the council now to renew it and for the international community to contribute troops and the resources that are required. Renewing it without completing it would be prolonging a promise that's not fulfilled. None of this requires a new decision.

(04:15:45)
The Dominican Republic has played its role. We will not practice a diplomacy of mere declarations, but rather a diplomacy of solutions. We will contribute to building the consensus that made a resolution possible. And we are committing our financial contributions that's proportional for the trust fund to the force, and facilitating from our country transit logistics and a UN support office. We are cooperating with the sanctions regime, and supporting the personnel of the mission in our hospitals.

(04:16:19)
We are doing this because this is above all a question of national security for our country. And we must repeat this as clearly as possible: there is no Dominican solution to the Haitian crisis and no state or organization can impose on our country to do it in their place. We will continue to protect our borders, to implement our migratory laws, and strengthen and equip our armed forces in exercise of sovereign equality that the United Nations recognizes for each state. And all of this fully respecting the international obligations that we freely assumed. The solution to Haiti lies in Haiti itself. And the obligation of the international community is to make it possible there in their country for children to be able to go back to school, and for Haitian youth to be able to have a future in their own country. And as soon as the conditions allow it, for the Haitians to be able to vote for the first time in a decade.

(04:17:21)
Mr. President, the Dominican Republic has worked to fulfill the essential commitments for our people and we have been able to show results. We've reduced monetary poverty from 25.8% in 2019 to 14.6% in the first six months of this year. And just two months ago, the FAO confirmed that my country was taken off the Hunger Map, being the fifth country in Latin America to achieve this. We have committed to achieving the Zero Hunger goal by 2028, but we managed to achieve this before that. For four consecutive years, we've received more than $4 billion per year in foreign direct investment. And in 2025, for the first time, more than $5 billion. And we are forecasting to receive more this year. Our exports reached a record of close to $16 billion. These results are a reflection of our legal certainty, institutional stability and trust-inspired, the trust that different actors have in the Dominican Republic. Peace, investment in new infrastructure, as well as the hospitality of our people, have led us to receive 7.5 million visitors in 2019. And this year it's predicted to exceed 12 million. And this figure is only rivaled by Mexico in Latin America.

(04:18:53)
However, progress in a country should not mean that a country is penalized. Middle-income countries host three in every four people on the planet and two in every three people in extreme poverty. And nevertheless, GDP continues to be used exclusively for concessional financing. So we're calling for a process, like the one that was initiated in the Pact for the Future, to achieve a common framework to measure progress beyond GDP, and for international financial institutions to incorporate these criteria in the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index. Because what can't be measured and what isn't measured, doesn't influence decisions. And what doesn't influence decisions does not receive attention.

(04:19:53)
For a small island country, climate change is not an abstract matter, ladies and gentlemen. Our vulnerability is not a statistical category. It's the reality that we're experiencing and that's why we welcome that this Assembly has committed to adopting a declaration on sea-level rise, guaranteeing stability in maritime areas. The declaration also includes sargassum, which is a scourge that afflicts the Caribbean coast every year, affecting tourism. Following an initiative by the Dominican Republic, the UN General Assembly and the Assembly for the Environment have adopted the first global resolution on sargassum, which is a regional problem recognized as a global challenge. We will not tire in calling for climate change to be delivered as quickly as storms strike the Caribbean. In this vein, we have moved to ratify the BBNJ Agreement on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction, and in March we laid down our ratification instrument. The ocean is an important source of life and is our most extensive border, and that's why protecting it is a state obligation.

(04:21:09)
President, serenity, clarity, and unity. With these concepts, we should be able to build a more representative United Nations, that are more efficient and able to fulfill the demands of the people that we serve. For the whole of humanity who are watching us, it will not be enough to just adopt resolutions. Rather, the resolutions that matter will be the ones that we duly implement.

(04:21:41)
Ladies and gentlemen, the urgency before us is imposed by the nature of these new times. The future is no longer a distant prospect. We are living it alongside the present. As changes in the conditions of human existence occur with such speed that we no longer need to wait decades before they become part of history, many of our peoples run the risk of living through this era without benefiting from the great advances humanity is achieving. Let us act now and work together for the wellbeing of our peoples.

(04:22:19)
Thank you very much, and may God protect all of us.

Chair (04:22:30):

On behalf of the Assembly, I thank the president of the Dominican Republic.

(04:22:51)
The Assembly will now hear an address by His Excellency Duma Gideon Boko.

President Duma Boko (04:22:59):

... General Assembly, we assure you of our full support as you shoulder this important responsibility. We also commend the outgoing president for a distinguished stewardship. Her tenure reminds us of an unfinished chapter in the history of this organization. Eight decades later, the United Nations has yet to be led by a woman as Secretary-General. Mr. President, the theme of this session, Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all, aptly captures the central challenge before us. Restoring trust requires fidelity to the UN Charter and international law. Managing transformation requires institutions capable of adapting to a rapidly changing world. And delivering for all, requires us to move beyond declarations towards tangible improvements in the lives and livelihoods of our peoples. Ultimately, our declarations, communiques, and resolutions must travel the difficult road from this Assembly hall to the daily lives of the peoples we represent.

(04:24:26)
Persistent conflicts, geopolitical tensions, and growing divisions have tested trust between nations. Concurrently, our world is undergoing transformation driven by technology, climate change, demographic shifts, and changing patterns of economic power. The pertinent question is how we strengthen multilateralism so that the United Nations can deliver meaningful results for all member states. Humanity has traveled far enough to know that on the great challenges of our age, none of us can go it alone. Whether a nation of a billion people, or like Botswana with just over two and a half million people, we share one fragile planet, and one imperfect but irreplaceable United Nations. The choices we make will determine whether multilateralism restores trust, manages transformation, and delivers for all, or becomes a cautionary tale of promises made and forgotten.

(04:25:38)
Botswana comes to this podium with the power and weight of genuine conviction. When Botswana gained independence in 1966, we carried a founding belief that our security and prosperity would come from disciplined integration into a community of nations governed by rules that all had agreed to honor. We honored our treaty obligations and opened our economy in accordance with the norms of this organization. We regarded compliance with international law as one of Botswana's strongest protections. That is the tradition I bring to this podium, representing a nation staking its existence on the promise that shared rules, faithfully observed, remain humanity's best instrument for peace and prosperity. That tradition tests whether trust between nations, large and small, can be restored.

(04:26:37)
Mr. President, restoring trust must begin with restoring respect. Respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and equal dignity of every nation regardless of its size, wealth or military power. For smaller states, such as Botswana, a rule-based international order is an essential safeguard. It assures us that international relations will be governed by the strength of agreed principles.

(04:27:10)
Botswana believes that rules that bind only the weak are not rules, and principles applied selectively, soon cease to command respect. That is why Botswana calls on this General Assembly, the Security Council, and every organ of the United Nations to recommit to dialogue as the first instrument of diplomacy. Botswana has sought to live by this principle as a host to the Southern African Development Community, SADC Secretariat, through our contributions to regional mediation and election observation, and through our consistent commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes.

(04:27:53)
Mr. President, even as we work to restore trust, our world is transforming. Climate change is no longer tomorrow's warning. It is today's drought in Africa, floods in Asia, rising seas in the Pacific, and wildfires in Europe and the Americas. For Botswana, custodian of the Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Kgalagadi ecosystem, climate change directly affects livelihoods, water security, and biodiversity. Botswana remains committed to the 30 by 30 Target, and the sustainable management of our natural capital.

(04:28:38)
Mr. President, Africa has the youngest population on earth. That is an extraordinary asset if we invest in it. But what is a demographic dividend today, can become a demographic crisis tomorrow, if opportunity does not keep pace with aspiration. Youth unemployment remains one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Managing it is a shared responsibility. Botswana calls upon the United Nations Development Program, the International Labor Organization, and all relevant multilateral institutions to make technology transfer, skills development and capacity-building, funded priorities. As we will all agree, the credibility of our multilateral commitments will be properly tested in development finance.

(04:29:33)
When countries have the means to invest in their people, and when international institutions respond effectively to shared threats, trust is strengthened. But when commitments remain out of reach for those who need the most confidence in the system, weakens. Getting these fundamentals right is central to restoring trust, managing transformation, and building a United Nations that delivers for all.

(04:30:03)
The global financial architecture must therefore evolve to reflect the economic realities of the 21st century, including financing demands created by climate change, technological transformation, and the imperative for sustainable development. Developing countries frequently face borrowing costs several times higher than those of wealthier nations. Because the system was not designed with the circumstances of the Global South in mind. Debt sustainability is a question of development and fairness. When nations spend more to service debt than invest in education, job creation or provision of healthcare, trust in the system erodes.

(04:30:52)
Botswana calls upon this Assembly and the international financial institutions to pursue reform of global financial governance. This would give developing countries a meaningful voice, and provide fair and predictable access to concessional finance. We call upon the United Nations and its financial partners to mobilize private capital through innovative and blended financing agreements that de-risk productive investment in developing economies. This is enlightened fairness and sound economics. Capital should help create opportunity where its impact can be found.

(04:31:35)
Mr. President, health is where the promise of international solidarity is tested most directly, and Botswana speaks from hard-earned experience. Three decades ago, our country faced an HIV/AIDS pandemic of such severity that some questioned our long-term resilience. Through determined national leadership, bold public investment, and sustainable global partnership, Botswana built...

Speaker 7 (04:32:00):

... investment and sustainable global partnership, Botswana built one of the world's most comprehensive HIV/AIDS treatment programs. We achieved the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets ahead of schedule, and we became the first African country to achieve World Health Organization silver tier status for the elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV.

(04:32:26)
Our experience demonstrates that when national ownership and international solidarity converge, seemingly impossible challenges can be overcome. This kind of practical solidarity restores confidence in multilateralism. We stand ready to share the lessons of this experience through South-South and Triangular Cooperation.

(04:32:50)
Botswana attaches particular importance to preserving UNAIDS, an indispensable partner in our national response through evidence- based policymaking, technical assistance, resource mobilization, and global advocacy. That partnership helps to mitigate an epidemic by means of one of the world's most successful national responses and placed Botswana firmly on the path towards ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

(04:33:25)
Mr. President, Botswana supports reforms that strengthen the effectiveness, coherence, and responsiveness of the United Nations system. We also believe that efficiency gains should be redeployed to strengthen the capacity of the organization to prevent conflict, address emerging security threats, and deliver meaningful results in program countries in line with the UN80 vision.

(04:33:51)
It is in this spirit that Botswana accords the highest priority to its partnerships with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, UN Habitat, the International Trade Center, the International Organization for Migration among others. We particularly recognize UNOCT's leadership role in strengthening the United Nations's collective efforts to prevent and counter terrorism and violent extremism and in translating international commitments into practical support for member states.

(04:34:28)
Botswana remains committed to further deepening its cooperation with UNOCT and the wider United Nations system through capacity building, technical assistance, knowledge sharing, and the exchange of good practices. Such partnerships demonstrate that a responsive United Nations can build trust, strengthen national capacity, and foster peace and security.

(04:34:58)
Mr. President, no reform agenda, including UN80, is complete without addressing the longstanding inequities within the Security Council. In this regard, Botswana reaffirms its support for comprehensive security council reform and aligns itself with a common African position as articulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration. We believe that a Security Council that continues to exclude Africa and Latin America from permanent membership cannot credibly claim to reflect contemporary geopolitical realities.

(04:35:39)
We also call on the United Nations to continue to explore the creation of an inclusive international framework on emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. We recognize technology as a bridge that narrows global inequality, and this extends to critical minerals, rare earths, and energy resources that power the technological revolution, many of which come from developing countries. Therefore, developing countries must have a meaningful voice in setting the standards and safeguards that will govern these technologies, ensuring that they expand opportunities, support decent work, and strengthen public services while protecting human dignity, rights, and security.

(04:36:37)
Mr. President, I wish to reaffirm Botswana's commitment to multilateralism. We believe that shared challenges require shared solutions. We also believe that implementing the pact for the future, together with the UN80 Initiative, offers an opportunity to translate our shared commitments into practical improvements in the functioning of the United Nations.

(04:37:05)
In conclusion, Mr. President, I reemphasize that restoring trust, managing transformation, and delivering for all are interconnected. We restore trust when we uphold our commitments, respect the UN charter, and apply international law consistently. We manage transformation when change creates opportunity rather than deepens inequality, when developing countries have a meaningful voice in shaping the systems that affect their future, and when technological and economic progress serve humanity as a whole, and we deliver for all when our decisions translate into tangible improvements in peace, security, development, health, and human dignity. The difference our decisions make in the lives and livelihoods of people is the standard against which the credibility of the United Nations must be measured.

(04:38:13)
Botswana is ready to work with all member states. We may be small in size, but we are steady in principle. We offer partnership in governance that delivers experience in health innovation, responsible stewardship of natural and mineral resources, and enduring preference for dialogue. Let us ensure that history remembers this 81st session for the trust we built, the promises kept, and the future created. I thank you.

Speaker 8 (04:38:48):

[foreign language 04:38:57].

Speaker 9 (04:38:48):

[inaudible 04:39:09].

Speaker 8 (04:38:48):

[foreign language 04:39:14].

Speaker 10 (04:38:48):

[inaudible 04:39:33].

Speaker 11 (04:38:48):

‍