HagueMultistakeholder

harms of social media. As Frances Haugen, who is here tonight with us, has shown, we must hold social media platforms accountable for the national experiment they’re conducting on our children for profit. Folks — thank you. Thank you for the courage you showed. It’s time to strengthen privacy protections; ban targeted advertising to children; demand tech companies stop collecting personal data on our children

by shipping jobs and factories overseas

cut the cost of prescription drugs

Look, economists call this increasing the productive capacity of our economy.

I think I have a better idea to fight inflation: Lower your costs, not your wages. And, folks, that means make more cars and semiconductors in America, more infrastructure and innovation in America, more goods moving faster and cheaper in America, more jobs where you can earn a good living in America

decency in the work of journalists

ethical behavior is the main one in the history of the media. Hundreds of self-regulation rules have been developed for the media around the world (more than 400 codes of ethics for journalists alone have been adopted in the world) - most contain universal rules for checking, verifying information and working with sources. One of the main ones is the Code of Ethics adopted in 2014 by the American Association of Professional Journalists: its preamble contains rules governing both formal journalism (the work of TV channels, Internet resources, print media) and "new media" - bloggers, operating on the platforms Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Telegram, etc. The very first principle contained in the preamble of the code is "seek the truth and report it."

US National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horn emphasized the untruthfulness of the message: " Anonymous sources are leaking lies ."

I am the president of Ukraine, I am here, and I think I know the details better than any president " (a reference to Joseph Biden, who at that moment stated that "an attack is likely in any moment").

The media field is a new battlefield, news is a new weapon, and any messages, especially those based on anonymous sources, have a real and great impact on our people, on their psyche, on our state, especially on our economy

And, of course, this did not add confidence to either Ukrainian citizens or the national economy.

On the one hand, the narratives circulated by the media in the US and Britain (as well as their German, French, even Ukrainian counterparts) were supposedly dictated by good intentions: to show the cards at some stage could mean "stop and prevent". On the other hand, this clearly did not meet Ukrainian interests: Ukraine began to lose money from panic.

but in such a volume (dozens of publications for each media) and such a tone (“Kyiv will be plundered”),

We need strong regulatory frameworks to change this business model.

The business models of social media companies profit from algorithms that prioritize addiction, outrage and anxiety at the cost of public safety. 

Global Digital Compact as part of the Summit of the Future in 2023. The Compact will bring together governments, the private sector and civil society to agree on key principles underpinning global digital cooperation. This will reinforce the ongoing coordinated approach on cyber security to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. And I’ve proposed a Global Code of Conduct to end the infodemic and the war on science, and promote integrity in public information, including online.

Our personal information is being exploited to control or manipulate us, change our behaviors, violate our human rights, and undermine democratic institutions.   Our choices are taken away from us without us even knowing it.

I want to begin the year by raising five alarms -- on COVID-19, global finance, climate action, lawlessness in cyber space, and peace and security.

UNICEF combines its experience, research and analysis to create programmes, campaigns and initiatives wherever they are needed most. Explore our reports to see how data can lead to change

to explain an idea clearly

Education is an important tool utilized to equip, capacitate, develop and empower every learner to create and/or sustain development and attain the future we want. The closure of schools and institutions of higher learning due to the pandemic, hashad anunparalleled devastating impact to millions of learners. This has been more pronounced in the developing world, mainly because many of these countries are not adequately equipped to pursue their education virtually. Theimpact of students being out of schoolfor an extended period of time was enormous and a nightmare in many developing countries. The lack of access to digital learning resources was a setback tostudents’ learning opportunities.Upon resumption of classesin the Kingdom of Eswatini, schools had to stagger attendance in order to prevent the snowballing of infections and the spread of the virus,as it evolvesand changesphases

IappealtotheInternationalcommunitytoremainfocusedonworkinginpartnershipwith SIDS like Saint Lucia.

Cuba continues to punch above its weight with its humanitarian efforts, playing its part in theglobal Covid-19 response, despite its disadvantaged position in the International Community.Saint Lucia joins CARICOM and the global community in renewing calls to the United States tonormalizeitsrelationswithCuba,andfortheabolitionoftheexistingembargo,whichonlyservesas a hindrance to economic growth in Cuba, and an obstacle to realizing full regional economicintegrationintheCaribbean.GivenCuba’sroleinhealth,education,sports,andsocialdevelopment in our region, the normalisation of relations with Cuba, means the advancement ofdevelopment in our entire Caribbean region. As we make this annual call for the normalisation ofrelationswithCuba,SaintLuciawantsittobeknownthatwearespeakingtoourowndevelopmentinas muchas we arespeakingabout thebetterment ofthelives ofthe Cuban people

Mr. President, as we maneuver the turmoil of these unprecedented times, the young people mustbe brought into the mainstream of national development. Too often, the Youth are placed on theback burner when things get rough, and the belt used for economic tightening is strung aroundtheir very necks.Suchanapproachfailstoconsidertheimmenseenergy,enthusiasm,andcreativitywhichyoungpeoplebringtothedevelopmenttable.Itisforthisreason,thatSaintLuciahasprioritizedtheimplementationof“TheYouthEconomy,”asthenewfrontierofoureconomicdevelopment, formalized in a new Government Department under the purview of the PrimeMinister, with the mandate of propelling our young people to turn their talents, skills and hobbiesinto economic enterprises for their own empowerment. We see our young people as a resource tobe molded and optimized, not as problems to be managed or solved.We believe that a countrymustconsidertheaspirationsofitsyoungcitizensandturnthemintoconcreteandpracticalassets,purposesandgoals.Mr. President, we are committed to improving the lives of our young people, especially the mostvulnerable, and we are working with all citizens to assist them in transforming their lives and tomake viable contributions to the economy. In this regard, Saint Lucia invites the InternationalCommunity to discuss and engage with us strategically, on mutually beneficial relationships andprojectstopromoteTheYouthEconomy,asweseektobuild abetterandmoresustainablefutureforall

Mr.President,SaintLuciaiscallingfortheadoptionofaglobalvulnerabilityindexbyinternational institutions.This index should include variables such as vulnerability to adverseweathersystemsandnaturaldisasters,historicaldisadvantagesarisingoutofplunder,colonialismandexploitation,andthevagariesoftheeconomicactivitieswhichsuchstatesdependforsurvival.Such a global vulnerability index would ensure that access to concessional development financeis granted based on criteria that consider the true contexts of our fragile economies, which areconstantlyunderthreatofregression,dueto natural, man-madeorpoliticaldisasters

Inourview,buildingbackbetterinitiativesshouldfocusonjobcreation,digitalization,increasedSDGfinancing,strengthenedhealthsystems,scientificresearch,andincreasedutilizationoflocalexpertsinprogrammeandprojectinterventionsinthecontinent.

InthesameveinMr.President,inaccordancewiththeresolutionsunanimouslyadoptedbythisaugustAssembly,wecallforanendoftheeconomic,commercialandfinancialembargobytheUnitedStatesagainstCuba.ThepeopleofCubadeservetopursuethedevelopmentalaspirationsandattaineconomicfreedom

Givenourrenewableresourcessuchassolar,windaswellastheocean,Namibiahasdecidedtoprioritizethedevelopmentofgreenandblueeconomies.Furthermore,wearealsowellpositionedthroughourrecentmembershiptotheHigh-LevelPanelonOceanSustainability,todesignandchampionasustainable“blueeconomy”,whichwillgrowoureconomicbaseandcreatethemuch-neededjobs,whilealsotacklingclimatechange

Itisapitythatwehaveasituationwhereinsomecountries,citizensareatthestageofreceivingboostershotswhileinothercountries,manyarestillwaitingtoreceivetheirfirstdosesofvaccines.Letusbearinmindthat,“Nooneissafeunlessweareallsafe.”

t seems that the world is at a crossroad: We can either choose further isolationism and erosion of trust, tolerating the increase of xenophobia, nationalism and right-wing ideas, ignoring the alarming warnings about the state of the environment, and silently accepting increase of inequality in all fields; or we canmake a breakthrough to have amore secure and better future for all and take the path of the “common agenda” –“for people, for the planet, for prosperity and for peace” as the Secretary General Guterres said. Itwouldmeanopting for the future that willbe based on the highest values of equality and justice, responsibilityand solidarity,and not on the retrograde ideologies, selfishness and cheep populism.

further lagging behind in the development of this European region, butalso opens the space for restoration of destructive theories that claim that, due to the fact that it is lagging behind, this region cannot live as a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional community and that its statescannot befunctional. They want to impute this constructed thesis to Bosnia and Herzegovina in particular, but also to smaller countries in the region, tomake an alibi for restoration of greater-state nationalisticprojects that in the 1990s led to thewar in Western Balkans with almost 150000 deaths. Our determination to fight these retrograde and dangerous ideas has not waveredand therefore today, from this place, Montenegro is warningof the renewed danger that Western Balkanswill be destabilized,and the horizons of its European prospects reduced

We are witnessing the growingclimate and environmental crisis. Recently in Geneva, the High Commissioner for Human Rights presented very concerning findings about global human rights situation in the context of the environment. Climate change, pollution and loss of biodiversity will constitute by far the most serious challenge for human rights in our era, said the High Commissionaire. In that,she clearly recognized human activity as one of the factorsand the lack of proper activitiesas another. Full implementation of 2030 Agenda and Paris Climate Agreement are crucial for better recovery from the pandemic and preparation of the world for future systemic shocks. That is why it is particularly important that in preparations for the Summit and Conference in Glasgow in November this year, all countries mobilise an additional level of ambition for achieving long-term goals for reducing global warming. Although its share in the global emissions is tiny, in December 2020 Montenegro additionally increased its climate ambition,confirming thus the strong and persistent commitment to adequate treatment of climate challenges. We expect that further activitieson the national level will open the space for new and more ambitious breakthroughs. That is why it is exceptionally important to integrate the components of action thatwill be based on human rights, both when new climate ambitions are set, and when new global biodiversity framework is defined

It is in such a light that we should also observethe obvious deterioration of security and humanitarian situation, while we arepreparing for potentially new and stronger wave of migrantsthat will undoubtedly have regional and global repercussions. We appeal for a global response to the refugee and migrant crisis. We have to share responsibility, as we envisaged in the global agreements for refugees and migrants. We mustcooperate in seeking the solutions and help equally to countries of receptionand countries of origin. Montenegro is the only of the republics of former Yugoslavia that did not have war in its territory during the conflicts in 1990s. At that timeMontenegro accepted more than 100 000 refugees and displaced persons, which wasmore than 20% of our entire

Due to the obvious deterioration of the overall international security atmosphere, modernization of armedsystems, as well as due to the collapse of some of the most important strategic instruments in this field, international architecture for disarmament, non-proliferation and control of arms are under a significant pressure. That is something that Montenegro, as a responsible UNand NATO member,wants to drawyourattention to. Support to implementation and strengthening and to further development of multilateral agreements in the field of disarmament, non-proliferation and control of arms mustbe imperativesfor all of us

The process of strengtheningmultilateral approachshould come together with our work on the strengthening of cooperation in the digital sphere, particularly

That mission will require efficient and strengthenedmultilateralism, with the rhetoricthat withdraws,giving room todeeds. To overcome the existing geostrategic divisions and dysfunctional international relations we will need a new worldview within our states and a renewed global agreement between the states. Post pandemic recovery and revitalized multilateralism mustbe based on fair globalization, respect for human rights and dignity of all, environment protection and responsible attitude to nature,andresults that will be measured by humaneparameters,and not only by economic ones. We should not strivefor peace which would benothing else,buta mere absence of warand we should not strive fordevelopment only for the sake of profits. We should strive for peace and progress that will be built on achieving the highest democratic standards and quality of life for all–equally for current and future generations

We are particularly concerned with the changes in institutional order that are occurring frequently through the use of military force in African countries, as these unconstitutional acts have not spurred an appropriate and sufficient reaction from the international community in orderto discourage such acts, which are reprehensible in every aspect, as we have seen in Mali and, more recently, in Guinee

For this reason, the COVID-19 vaccine must be recognized as a good for all humanity, with universal and open access to allow for wider production and equitable distribution on a global scale

5It is shocking to see the disparity between some nations and others with respect to availability of vaccines. These disparities allow for third doses to be given, in some cases, while, in other cases, as in Africa, the vast majority of the population has not even received the first dose

ButwemustequallynotwaiverinourdeterminationtodeliverthelongoutstandingreformoftheSecurityCouncil.Letusriseaboveourdifferencessothatwedonotleavethisunfinishedbusinessasaburdenofthefuturegeneration.Wemustachievethereformsduringourlifetime.

Mr.President,AsIhavealreadyalluded,revitalizationandstrengtheningtheworkof,andcoordinationamongthePrincipalOrgansofUnitedNations(i.e.,GeneralAssembly,theEconomicandSocialCouncil,theSecurityCouncilandtheSecretariat)aswellasimprovingtheirworkingmethodsremainscrucial.Itisimportantthatweensurethatthischiefdeliberative,policymakingandrepresentativeOrganbecomestrue,universal"parliamentofnations"

futuregenerations

Botswanacallsforanaggressivedialogueonclimatechangeandforaction-orientedsolutionsincludingeffective,efficientearlywarningsystemsanddisasterriskmanagementstrategiesandstrengthenedcollaborativeeffortsbetweentheUnitedNationsandregionalandSub-regionalentitiestoalsoenhancepredictiveanalyticsanddata

Firstly,Governmentisfullycommittedto"SaveBotswana'spopulationfromCOVID-19"throughhealthprogrammesthatincludevaccination.Secondly,wearereformingthepublicservicetoensureeffectiveimplementationofGovernmentpolicies.Thirdly,weareaccelerating"Digitalization"inthedeliveryofservicesbyGovernment,andcreatingenablingconditionsfortheactiveinvolvementoftheprivatesectorandsocietyintheuptakeandutilisationofdigitaltechnologies.22.Ourfourthpriorityis"Value-ChainDevelopment":thisentailsunlockingmorevalueinkeysectorssuchasmining,tourism,agricultureandeducationbywayoftheinnovationand

Letusacceptthattheprevailingvaccineinequityistherealproblemandareflectionoftheinherentweaknessesofourmultilateralsystem

itisforthisreasonthatBotswanasharesthefrustrationbymanyandstronglysupportsthecallforthevaccinestobetreatedasaglobalpublicgood,asthisiskeytorecoveryandrebuildingbetterfromtheCOVID-19pandemic.

Giventhatsciencehasdeliveredthevaccines,nowitistimeforworldleaders,guidedbytheidealsoftheUNCharter,toensurethatthislife-savingresourceisdistributedequitably

Mr.President, it is against this background of ambition for my countrythat my governmentembraces the vision set out in the Secretary-General’s report entitled, “Our Common Agenda”.We embrace his view that our nations must be driven by solidaritythat he has so eloquently described as “the principle of working together, recognizing that we are bound to each other and that no community or country, however powerful, can solve its challenges alone”.

people transported from Africa in the genocidal slave trade, people from India who were indentured to labour in a new land, people from Europewho migrated at a time of want and persecution, and people from China who were also brought to work on the plantations

Mr.President, the strained relations between the United States and Cubaare also a matter of deep concern to our region.We are convinced that normalization of relations between Cuba and the United States would have a beneficial impact onpeace in the hemisphere and greater prosperity for all

Just recently, an agreement was issued in Mexico City by which the contending internal factions in Venezuela renewed a baseless claim to two-thirds of Guyana’s territory. We have responded in clear terms.And I repeat our response now in these hallowed halls in which nations of the world meet in peace and cooperation.Guyana cannot be used as an altar of sacrifice for the settlement of Venezuela’s internal political differences. While my governmentwelcomes efforts to bring about domestic harmony within Venezuela, agreements that defy international law and processes can be no basis for mediating such harmony.Guyana does not promote the use of violence or threats to settle disputes. In a 1966 Agreement signed in Geneva, Venezuela consented to allow the UN Secretary-General to decide on the means of settlement of this controversy. The Secretary-Generaldecided on the International Court of Justice. Both Parties are therefore bound by the Court’s jurisdiction and ultimate decision

The peoples of the world will be watching.

Yet, our countries are among the lowest emitters of greenhouse gas emissions, contributing the least to the harmful and destructive effects of Climate Change.This is not only unfair; it is unjust

Mr President, we hold out similar hope that the world’s worst emitters of greenhouse gases that are threatening the welfare of all mankind, will also come to the realization that in the end it will profit them little to emerge king over a world of dust

Belatedly, the rich have come to the realization thaton our one Earth,they need the cooperation of the poor to save themselves

My government restates its call for increased resources to be made available to States on the basis oftheir vulnerabilities and not only based on the misleading measure of per capita income.

But such recovery will be painfully elongated and slow unless there is international support in the form of debt rescheduling, debt service moratoriums, provision of soft resources to reboot economies

Concurrent with achieving equitable geographical representation in the UN we must also address the question of gender parity.Yesterday,we marked the 20thanniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action at the World Conference against Racism in South Africa.Thisremains the international community’s blueprint for action to fight racism and other forms of intolerance.We are bound by a common responsibility to fight both the legacy of past racism and the manifestation in the present

This year marks 12 years since the start of the Inter-Governmental Negotiations process and 16 years since the World Summit of 2005, where world leadersunanimously agreed on early reform of the Security Council

The right of the Palestinian people to self-determination has been raised in this General Assembly for almost as long as this body has been in existence.We raise it again today, not because we are bound by practice to do so, but because we resolutely believe that there shall be no peace and no justice until the Palestinian people are free from occupation and are able to exercise the rights for which this United Nations stands.We have a responsibility, as the nations of the world, to spare no effort in finding a just, lasting and peaceful solution based on internationally agreed parameters enshrined in the relevant UN resolutions. Wereiterate our position that the people of Western Sahara have the right to self-determination in line with the relevant African Uniondecisions and UN Security Council resolutions. South Africa further affirms its solidarity with the Cuban people and calls for the lifting of the economic embargo that has caused untold damage to the country’s economy and people

That is whyweseek to enhance the relationship between the UN and the African Union in maintaining peace, financing peacebuilding efforts, and advancing post-conflict reconstruction and development

COP26must therefore launch a formal programme of work on the implementation of the Global Goal on Adaptation

Check Against Delivery 3In this respect, the G20 Debt Standstill Initiative is a welcome response to the fiscal and liquidity challenges faced byleast developed economies. Theagreement on the allocation of $650 billion in Special Drawing Rights is significant, but it is insufficient to meet the extent of the need.South Africathereforereiterates its call for 25% of the total allocation, amounting to around$162 billion, to be made available to the African continent.

South Africa reaffirms its call for fair and equitable distribution of vaccines. We urge all member states to support the proposal for a temporary waiver of certain provisions of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights to allow more countries, particularly low-and middle-incomecountries, to produce COVID-19 vaccines.In thisinterconnected world, no country is safe until everycountryis safe

hans rusling factfulnesswhere he clearly showspositive evolution of humanity

i need to emphasize that we needmechanisms for financingso that countries can have accessto and make progress with sustainabledevelopment and protection of theenvironment

health of the planetwe've heardstatements we've participated inconferences we've undertaken commitmentsnow it's timeto move toaction and practice

violation of human rights by governmentsthat belong to this organizationand we're clear that they're respectfulof the principle of non-intervention weare respectful of that but we also needto understandthatwe cannot remain silent about theseviolations we must announce them

governments needed to protect theirpeople that was the first thing we hadto do was protect our compatriots butalso we needed to be aware or alert tothe fact that that protectionshould not then become protectionismwe needed freedom to tradefreedom to competefor excellency and competition foraccess to markets

e could also see it reflectedin acts unknown to the larger public

of course here what we're talking aboutis the internal policies

s this falsedichotomy between the presence of thestate and individualfreedom

uruguayhas an immense democraticvocation and very much values individualfreedomfreedom as the most pure state of theindividual

humanity showed its capacityto adaptand survive a crisis of such dimensionsand let me saythat that's the best version that we'reliving

the kingdom stresses the importance of11:14making the middle east11:16and a region free of all weapons of mass11:02destruction we therefore support11:22international efforts aimed at11:24preventing iran from developing a11:26nuclear weapon we are very concerned at11:03iranian steps that go counter to its11:34commitments

non-interference in the internal affairs

ict infrastructure in finding solutionsfor energy

thegreen middle east initiativethe cyclical carbon economy initiative

we are thelargestdonor statein terms of humanitarian and developmentassistance at the arab and islamic leve

COP 26, therefore, should result in ambitious and actionable commitments.•Suriname calls on developed countries, to recommit to the 100 billion US dollars per year, to support developing countries, as agreed in the 2015 Paris Agreement.•In this regard, I stress the importance of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) and the need, to support its activities, aimed at protecting the Amazon rainforestand its biodiversity

In the case of my country, Suriname, and the countries, with low-lying coastal areas, we are committed, to fighting climate change, because we are particularly vulnerable, even though, we have contributed, the least, to this problem. •Suriname is a High Forest, Low Deforestation country, with a forest coverage of approx. 93%. •Suriname significantly contributes, to the mitigation of the effects of climate change. •We are one, of the few carbons negative rating countries, in the world

In achieving these objectives, we must allow countries, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, to develop sustainable economies, without obstacles. •Isolation and trade blockades, such as, in the case of Cuba, in my own region, undermine these principles and are counterproductive, to achieving these goals

uriname supports the call for a stronger and more effective United Nations.•A restructured and revitalized United Nations must ensure, that the organization, remainsthe source of redress, for the international community, and home, to international justice and equitable decision-making

Currently, we face unrealistic, unfair, and counterproductive classification instruments.•Suriname looks forward to new substantive methods of financial support, based on the socio-economic reality, of the countries concerned.• At the same time, the vulnerabilities of countries, should be taken into account. •I call on all, to support the multi-dimensional vulnerability index, as proposed by SIDS(Small Island Developing States) andremove bureaucracy in supporting these states.

Mr. President, we must develop a post COVID-strategy, with a focus on:oDeveloping an effective strategy to improve vaccination levels in our societies.oRebuilding the economy;oAnd establishing a COVID 19 recovery fund, with support of the international financial institutions and the private sector;•We cannot go back, to what we were used to, but rather focus on:oHow we organize ourselves, for the “new normal”, with COVID-19 as part of our lives; oRemoving barriers, for ease of doing business and investments

Mr. President, the exposed weaknesses of our health systems, must be addressed, with innovative measures, with the use of modern technology and international cooperation.•Allow me, as we go forward, to underscore the importance of using science andtechnology, for peaceful purposes

Multilateralism and international solidarity came under pressure.•It has unveiled weaknesses of the effectiveness of our international mechanisms, andglobal legal infrastructure.•Regretfully the principle of collective effort and responsibility, was replaced by a more individual approach. •One to protect the nation first.

One year ago, the new government of Suriname, under my leadership, took office, and had to deal with several financial and economic challenges. •Amidst theclimate changechallenges, and the COVID-19 pandemic, my country is also confronted with a challenging fiscal choice, between servicing, an increased sovereign debt, or to spend more in health, education, and the livelihoods of our citizens.•In order, to get the tremendous foreign debt under control and make our economy healthy again, my country had decided, to develop a comprehensive recovery plan, which at staff level, has been approved by the IMF, and we look forward to Board Level approval as soon as possible. •Suriname, is also at the cusp, of attracting substantial foreign direct investments, particularly in the extractive industry, agriculture and tourism. •For this purpose, the enabling environment, is being prepared, including the development of a local content policy and a new investment code, to facilitate these investments.•Therefore, I am inviting the international business community, to invest in my beautiful country and contribute, to sustainable development and the earmarked transition towards a green economy.

We salute the UN Secretary General's Report on "Our Common Agenda" as aforward-looking blueprint for an enhanced global cooperation to effectively address thecommon challenges

A system, in which criminals extract wealth and assets from countries with weakinstitutions, store this capital in offshores, and then find safe haven in other countries, isboth unsustainable and unfair. Designing international rules for asset recovery could bringmore fairness to the global stage and do justice to weaker states.As an international community, we need to design, apply, and rigorously monitor systems topromote international transparency and accountability. We need to join efforts to combatmoney-laundering and investigate illicit financial flows. We need to make better use ofasset seizure tools and to work together to suppress organized crime. The magnitude of thechallenge is so extensive that we need the serious involvement of all international andnational actors. We need an effective collective response to safeguard democracy and theinternational rules-based order.

Another factor that erodes democracy is corruption. Corruption undermines people’s trustin their states. While no country is exempt from it, corruption disproportionately affectspoor states. It makes the state and its institutions weaker, more vulnerable, and less stable.In the recent past, corruption transformed Moldova into a captured state. Corruptionbecame a threat to democracy and to our national security. Crooks used us as a transitcountry to launder money through our institutions before depositing them abroad. We havemanaged to overthrow these corrupt regimes, and now, our main task is to strengthen ourjustice and law enforcement systems. We are committed to doing so, but fixing one end ofthe problem does not make the problem disappear.

Democracy is threatened by several factors. One of them is the spread of disinformation.While new social media platforms have been an important tool to mobilize and spreaddemocratic practices in many regions of the world, they are also enhancing disinformation,which, in worst case scenarios, may seriously disrupt key democratic processes such aselections. We need a global conversation and to jointly look for concrete solutions to thedangers that disinformation poses to the rules-based international order

Erosion of democracy and the declining trust in the state that it produces is anotherimportant global challenge I would like to address. This is particularly relevant for mycountry. Democracy remains our universal ideal and a core value for our state. Rebuildingcitizens’ trust in public institutions, cleaning up the state from vested interests anddelivering decent public services is the cornerstone of Moldova’s further democraticprogress and modernization.

Third, international security. We see more and more security crises arising in differentparts of our planet. In an interdependent world, their aftershocks can be felt across theglobe. When referring to our region, we are seriously concerned with the deterioratingsecurity situation in the Black Sea area.Here I would like to stress once again that the Republic of Moldova is a state committed topeace. We remain firmly committed to identifying a peaceful, political solution to theconflict in the Transnistrian region of our country, based on Moldova’s sovereignty andterritorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We will also continuepromoting confidence-building measures with a strong emphasis on protectingfundamental rights and freedoms in the Transnistrian region – a pressing issue for mycountry.In the spirit of Moldova’s Constitutional neutrality and international law, I would also like toreiterate that our position on the complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian forcesremains unchanged. This includes the removal or destruction of ammunitions from theCobasna stockpiles which pose a security and environmental threat to the region as awhole. We count on the support of the international community in this endeavor.

Second, climate change – another major challenge we are all faced with. We live through itsconsequences as we speak - extreme weather, record-high temperatures, floods affectingevery country.For the Republic of Moldova, climate change means severe droughts every few years, floods,ruined crops and livelihoods of people.The footprint of the Republic of Moldova for climate change has been low, and we arecommitted to keeping it this way. As we seek to modernize our economy, we pledge to do soin a sustainable way. Expanding our forests, transitioning to a green and circular economy,promoting clean energy, preserving water and land resources, promoting responsible andsustainable production and consumption is our way forward

First, there is no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic has been the biggest challenge of ourgeneration so far. Like most other states, the Republic of Moldova has been hit hard. But ourown experience of dealing with the crisis has been filled with hope and gratitude. Gratitudefor the tremendous global endeavor of solidarity that supported my country’s work tocontain the virus. And hope - that solidarity can make us all more resilient

The devastating global Covid pandemic demands collective action from all countries,stakeholders and peoples, if we are to achieve a resilient recovery. The democraticgovernment of Taiwan should be allowed to participate in an equal and dignified mannerwithin the UN system, including the WHO, ICAO and the UNFCCC, as well as activitiesrelated to the SDGs. There is absolutely nothing in General Assembly resolution 2758which prevents this inclusive approach, and this resolution affords nothing to hidebehind, as it expresses no position on Taiwan. As a people-centric institution, the UNcannot ignore the Taiwanese people or continue to use their nationality to exclude themfrom attending public meetings or public tours at it's headquarters. The shameful silencemust end.

On the basis of our own history and experience, we remain committed to ensuring thevoices of the most vulnerable are better heard. The international community should havelearned from far too many prior mistakes that politics must not cloud our judgement norbe a barrier to action. On Myanmar, the General Assembly has spoken loudly byadopting Resolution 75/287 earlier this year, with only one objection, urging the armedforces to halt lethal force and respect the free will of the people.In addition, the Marshall lslands is proud to have joined cross-regional joint statementsat the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council expressing strong concernregarding human rights issues in the Xianxing region of the People's Republic of Chinaas well as recent developments in Hong Kong. lf a truly independent visit by the UNHigh Commissioner for Human Rights still remains unscheduled, we would stronglyencourage all available options to be pursued to deepen the HRC's analysis andassessment.

We welcome recent progress to restore the UN Oceans Summit, now planned for nextyear to be co-hosted by Kenya and Portugal. We look forward to the Our Ocean Summitnext year hosted by Palau. As a nation whose wider territory is 99 percent oceans,leadership is an undeniable priority. Global action on oceans cannot be limited only topiecemeal approaches. Far stronger political will is needed - and as large ocean nations,we are leading by example. Joined by our regional neighbors, we have defined our fixedmaritime boundaries even in the face of rising seas. We have worked with the Pafties tothe Nauru Agreement to move the world towards fully traceable and sustainable tunastocks. As the world's largest tuna port, we have led with our own national action tospur sharp progress on Covid vaccination for foreign fishing crews. Together with theForum Fisheries Agency, we remain committed as a region to ensuring basic minimumsocial and human rights standards for the crew, observers and vessels which fish ourwaters and visit our ports. But this remains incomplete without the stronger commitmentfrom distant water fishing nations, many of whom are also global superpowers. Humanrights apply in the ocean - without exception - just as much as they apply on land.

The Republic of the Marshall lslands has our legacy roots as a strategic UN Trusteeship,where - despite our warnings at the time - two Trusteeship Council resolutions remainthe only instance in history where any UN organ ever specifically authorized nucleardetonations. This was part of a wider nuclear weapons testing program of 67atmospheric tests conducted by the United States as administering authority, between1 946 and 1 958 - delivering the equivalent of 1 .6 Hiroshima-sized shots every day, for 12years. The legacy of these tests remains a very contemporary threat - in our waters, ourlands and our bodies. We have recently formed a National Nuclear Commission tocoordinate effective responses, and we continue to view these impacts through a humanrights lens.Despite our commitment, we simply lack the capacity to fully address our local needs.We tirelessly underscore that no people or nation should ever have to bear a burdensuch as ours, and that no effort should be spared to move towards a world free of nuclearweapons and nuclear risk, through any and all effective pathways.

Climate change remains the greatest threat to the seculity and well-being of our region- especially to low-l/ng atoll nations like my own. We simply have no higher ground tocede. The tireless leadership of small island developing states, and wider circles ofpartners, makes clear that an overwhelming global majority demands the ParisAgreement must be delivered in actions, not empty words. This year's Conference ofParties to the UNFCCC offers a vital opportunity for the world to make good on thepromises of the Paris Agreement to raise ambition. We remain in support of the UnitedKingdom's leadership as host, no matter the challenges posed by the global pandemic.We have put forward our own commitment for stronger action - both on our own nationalcommitments on emissions and adaptation, as well as expectations for meaningfulleadership by the international maritime sector for greater ambition - but we cannot actalone. This year is the moment to rebuild higher ambition, and the world, especially themost vulnerable, cannot afford failure to hold temperature rise to below 1.5 degreesCelsius. Earlier promises of stronger climate finance remain unfulfilled, and even ifdelivered, must be far more accessible to those most in need. As sea-levels continue torise unabated, there is now an immediate threshold between unfulfilled promises andmeaningful action. A Special Rapporteur on climate change is needed to strengthen thefocus and human rights lens on those most vulnerable, where there are often no easysolutions. The world simply cannot delay climate ambition any further.

However, I am pleased to report our own robust success towards the goal ofachieving vaccination of nearly every eligible person in our nation. ln particular, I wishto thank the United States of America for its strong and early outreach to ensure that theMarshall lslands was not left behind in vaccination efforts. We proudly remain Covid-free, even as future risks remain great.However, our borders remain largely closed, as we lack the full capacity to address thepotential of even small outbreaks. While our core economic driver of fisheries is onlystarting to recover, our nation remains forced to cut back effort in core developmentareas, at a time when we clearly should have been moving forward. lt is vital that theinternational system continue to strengthen efforts to social and economic impacts ofCovid measures in small and remote island nations.

I support the firm commitment by the UN Secretary-General to advance UN systemreform discussions into clear management actions. I want to underscore the urgent needfor tangible and text-based efforts towards UN Security Council reform.

The Marshall lslands remains committed to building a stronger Pacific lslands region -one which can answer to these deep challenges to democracy, security anddevelopment, including the threats of rising seas upon our low-lying atoll nation. Yet themeans to address this must be through institutions which place our voices andleadership aspirations equal among others. We cannot take a backseat to our ownaffairs. Even as the Marshall lslands is currently transitioning away from the Pacificlslands Forum - under the final authority of our parliament - we also are committed morethan ever to joint action which advances democracy, security and human rights in ourregion.ln this regard, I welcome the strengthening of the Micronesian Presidents Summit in theNorth Pacific, and we look forward to forging a common voice which addressesemerging security threats, and directly reflects the shared values of our cultures anddemocratic Constitutions.

Yet it is an open question if the UN and international community can adequately speakto this emerging threat, and if our closest traditional partners can answer our call with atrue partnership which goes well beyond media statements, but one which makes adramatic difference in our local communities.

welcome the recent Japan-Pacific lslands Defense Dialogue as a key confidence-building measure against authoritarian influence

Small and vulnerable nations such as my own are in dire need of a stronger UnitedNations. While we are not naive to the difficult challenges facing us all, we cannot forgetthat the UN was created not only to be inclusive of global diversity, but also toceaselessly work to achieve common ideals of democracy, free and secure societies,and basic universal human rights. lf we cannot remember the mistakes which led to thelast century's open global military conflicts, than my fear is that we are doomed to repeatthem.Leadership must come from all who are committed to act - small and large nations alike.We cannot abide by attempts to rewrite the script on universal human rights. And myown Pacific islands region faces an emerging security threat in the form of geopoliticalcompetition by the world's largest powers - are we again to be caught in the middle ofa tug-of-war? Throughout my nation's young history, we have remained true to thepursuit of an independent and free democracy which assures basic and individual humanrights, even as we tackle steep development challenges. As island leaders, we mustremain firmly in control of our commitment to a free and open lndo-Pacific, and standapart from any who would seek to have us trade our core values for easy inducement

It is the role of the United Nations to facilitate this by treating all sovereign states, irrespective of size or strength, equitably, and with due respect for their institutions and their heritage. I request the United Nations and the international community to ensure the protection of the Buddhist heritage of Afghanistan.

In 2019, Sri Lanka experienced the devastation wrought by extremist religious terrorists in the Easter Sunday attacks. Before that, until 2009, it had suffered from a separatist terrorist war for 30 years. Terrorism is a global challenge that requires international cooperation, especially on matters such as intelligence sharing, if it is to be overcome.Violence robbed Sri Lanka of thousands of lives and decades of prosperity in the past half century.My Government is committed to ensuring that such violence never takes place in Sri Lanka again. We are therefore acting to address the core issues behind it. Fostering greater accountability, restorative justice, and meaningful reconciliation through domestic institutions is essential to achieve lasting peace.So too is ensuring more equitable participation in the fruits of economic development.It is my Government’s firm intention to build a prosperous, stable and secure future for all Sri Lankans, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or gender.We are ready to engage with all domestic stakeholders, and to obtain the supportof our international partners and the United Nations, in this process.However, history has shown that lasting results can only be achieved through home-grown institutions reflecting the aspirations of the people.Sri Lanka’s Parliament, Judiciary and its range of independent statutory bodies should have unrestricted scope to exercise their functions and responsibilities.

Sustainability is a cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s national policy framework. Because of its impacton soil fertility, biodiversity, waterways and health, my Government banned the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and weedicides earlier this year.Production and adoption of organic fertiliser, as well as investments into organic agriculture, are being incentivised.I appreciate the encouragement received from many global institutions and nations for our efforts to create a more sustainable agriculture in Sri Lanka. The conservation of our environment is one of our key national priorities. We aim to increase forest cover significantly in the coming decades.We are also working to clean and restore over 100 rivers countrywide, and to combat river and maritime pollution. We have also banned single use plastics to support ecological conservation. Sri Lanka recognises the urgent need to reduce use of fossil fuels and support decarbonisation. Our energy policy seeks to increase the contribution of renewable sources such as solar, wind and hydropower to 70% of our national energy needs by 2030

It is in these contexts that Sri Lanka is a Commonwealth Blue Charter Champion and leads the Action Group on Mangrove Restoration. Through the adoption of the Colombo Declaration on Sustainable Nitrogen Management, which seeks to halve nitrogen waste by 2030, Sri Lanka has also contributed to global efforts to reduce environmental pollution.

3As emphasised in the recent report by the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change, the unprecedented effect of human activity on the health of the planet is deeply worrying.Addressing the grave threats posed by climate change and the loss of biodiversity requires decisive and urgent multilateral action.

the population, has been devastated.This industry, together with small and medium businesses in many other sectors, received Government support through interest moratoriums and other financial sector interventions.Daily wage earners and low-income groups were also supported through grants of cash and dry rations during lockdowns, adding significantly to state expenditure. In addition to their immediate impact, these economic repercussions of the pandemic have limited the fiscal space available to implement our development programmes.

This has placed the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals at considerable risk.It is vital that more initiatives including development financing and debt relief be adopted through international mechanisms to support developing nations and help them emerge from this uncertain situation.

In collaboration with the WHO, Sri Lanka is establishing a Regional KnowledgeHub to facilitate exchange of lessons learnt from COVID19 and support countriestorecover better.

At the same time, we must recognise that the challenges surrounding production, distribution, deployment and acceptance of vaccines must be overcome urgently if the spread of dangerous new virus strains is to be prevented. Ensuring that everyone, everywhere, is vaccinated is the best way out of the pandemic

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