Fight against Terrorism, Climate Change Highlighted as General Assembly Considers Secretary-General’s Annual Progress Report on United Nations Work
The foundations and content of the post-2015 development agenda, and its connections to international peace and security, were debated today as the General Assembly took up the Secretary-General’s annual report card on the work of the Organization.
The report took stock of progress over the past year in delivering on the eight long-term organizational priorities identified by Member States.
Sam Kutesa (Uganda), President of the General Assembly, said a nexus existed between development, peace and security. Failure to address challenges to international peace and security would stunt progress, he warned.
Some speakers called for joint action to end terrorism and armed conflicts. Pakistan’s representative supported efforts to oppose the “reign of terror” unleashed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant/Sham (ISIL/ISIS). Pakistan would work with neighbouring Afghanistan not just to fight terrorism, but also to foster collaboration in industry, trade, infrastructure and energy, he said.
Myanmar’s representative, speaking for the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), expressed deep concern over the rise of violence and brutality committed by terrorists and extremists in Iraq and Syria. ASEAN was implementing its own Convention on Counter-Terrorism and other steps to tackle terrorism’s root causes, as well as to disrupt terrorism networks and their financing.
Hearing from developed countries, as well as from the developing world, delegations including China called for international cooperation on climate change, with Cuba’s representative suggesting that for historical reasons, developed countries had a debt to developing nations, and ought to help them mitigate the consequences of the global scourge.
Japan, for its part, was providing assistance to developing countries for adaptation, promoting technological innovation for energy efficiency, and contributing to a future international framework on the matter.
Several countries noted the dangers of nuclear weapons, with Mongolia expressing concern over the persisting deadlock in the Conference on Disarmament, calling upon all States to take a “bold and decisive” position towards meaningful agreements on disarmament, including the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones in the Middle East and North-East Asia.
Also delivering statements were the representatives of Morocco, Argentina and Cameroon.
Speaking in exercise of the right of reply were the representatives of India and Pakistan.
Background
The General Assembly met this morning to consider the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization (document A/69/1).
Statements
SAM KUTESA (Uganda), President of the General Assembly, said that the report contained many issues of interest to Member States, several of which had also been emphasized by leaders during the General Debate. Progress had been made on preparation for the Secretary-General’s Synthesis Report on the post-2015 development agenda. But that document also highlighted that the international community was lagging behind on Millennium Development Goals involving nutrition, maternal health, education, and inequality. As there was a nexus connecting development to peace and security, the failure to address challenges of the latter would stunt development. The United Nations had a critical role to play in curbing the activities of non-State actors. Huge deficits in health and education systems were exacerbating the Ebola outbreak. The international community also had to work towards developing measures to support countries most affected by other threats to international peace, such as organized crime, drug and human trafficking and international terrorism.
OMAR HILALE (Morocco) said that the great challenges facing the world today required the United Nations to adapt rapidly, in order to maintain its efficiency. His country had deployed more than 2,000 peacekeepers to United Nations missions in Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Central African Republic, among others. Uneven progress had been made towards realizing the Millennium Development Goals. Africa remained the most vulnerable continent, threatened not just by natural disasters but also poverty, famine, HIV/AIDS and now Ebola. Terrorism and armed conflicts were also devastating, and required the international community’s joint efforts in response. His country had launched an initiative whereby religious figures from Morocco as well as from Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Mauritania had met on issues related to moderate Islam. His Government supported the creation of an independent Palestinian State living side by side with Israel.
RODOLFO REYES RODRÍGUEZ (Cuba) decried the fact that nuclear weapons continued to threaten humanity even now, 25 years after the end of the Cold War. A majority of countries were in favour of banning such weapons entirely. While the world looked to the United Nations for guidance on the post-2015 development agenda, the severe challenge of climate change would not be met by anything other than commitment from countries themselves. Because of colonialism, developed countries had a debt to developing nations in helping them mitigate climate change. If military spending was reduced, needs in the fields of health, education and living conditions could be met. The Assembly had a responsibility to mobilize to address issues identified in the Secretary-General’s report, including reform of the Security Council. The impact and spread of Ebola in West Africa required urgent action. He expressed hope that Cubans going to Africa would help address that situation.
MASOOD KHAN (Pakistan) called for strategies to counter security threats due to trends in Ukraine, the Middle East, South Sudan and the Central African Republic, and to the unauthorized use of nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical materials. He supported efforts to oppose the “reign of terror” unleashed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant/Sham (ISIL/ISIS). The Quartet should revive the stalled peace talks for a two-State solution. As a top troop contributor, Pakistan had deployed more than 1,100 troops to the Central African Republic to help stabilize the situation there. The core issue of Jammu and Kashmir must be resolved through negotiations, he said, reminding the United Nations of its responsibility in that regard. Voicing deep concern over the recent increase in violations by Indian security forces at the India-Pakistan Line of Control and the loss of four lives yesterday, he called on the Indian Government to immediately cease fire. Pakistan would work with Afghanistan to fight terrorism and foster collaboration in industry, trade, infrastructure and energy. Pakistan was determined to eliminate terrorism “from our soil”, by among other things, “choking the vicious sources that feed them”. To advance the Conference on Disarmament, the four core issues — disarmament, a fissile material treaty, prevention of arms race in outer space, and negative security assurances — must be tackled simultaneously. World leaders’ political commitments during the recent Climate Summit must result in a global climate agreement in 2015.
YOSHIFUMI OKAMURA (Japan) said his country’s response to the pressing issue of climate change included assistance to developing countries for adaptation, promoting technological innovation for energy efficiency, and contributing to a future international framework on the matter. Japan supported the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), and it was providing $40 million in addition to an emergency grant of $22 million announced 3 October for the West African countries affected by the Ebola outbreak. On United Nations reform, Japan sought to become a permanent Security Council member. Japan would actively participate in debates on peacekeeping issues in the upcoming sessions of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, known as the C34, and the Assembly’s Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary). As Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission’s Working Group on Lessons Learned, Japan would issue a report by the end of the year on the challenges of drawing down or withdrawing United Nations peacekeeping missions, which he hoped would benefit the 2015 review of the Organization’s peacebuilding architecture. The Third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, to be held in Sendai next March, would serve as a forum for discussing humanitarian issues and disaster prevention in an integrated way and would contribute to international cooperation on disaster risk reduction, as well as to the post-2015 development agenda.
MATEO ESTREME (Argentina) welcomed the Secretary-General’s report, which provided an overview of progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. Despite progress made, more ambitious targets were needed, something which had been discussed at the recent summit of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China and China. The post-2015 development agenda must focus on sustainable development, a concept which included poverty eradication, social inclusion, job creation, and protection of the environment. Another important issue was the establishment of a multilateral legal framework for restructuring sovereign debt. The aim was to ensure that the international community could “do away with the predatory aspect of vulture funds” and ensure inclusivity and an equitable basis for the world’s peoples. The time had come to give legal framework to this system, and the Assembly was the adequate forum to address this issue.
LIU JIEYI (China) said despite progress towards peace, development, cooperation and “win-win” situations, the path of global development remained long and arduous. He supported Iraq’s efforts to safeguard its integrity, and noted that aid was needed there to overcome instability. A ceasefire in Syria was needed, as was a “middle-of-the-road solution”. China firmly opposed all forms of terrorism, and supported the Council resolution to coordinate efforts to combat that scourge. 2015 would be an important year, when the international community must develop a renewed spirit to achieve its objectives, focusing on improving peoples’ well-being, enhancing inclusiveness, implementing development models, and strengthening development partnerships. He called for international cooperation on climate change. Recalling China’s participation at the Climate Change Summit, he noted that there was fresh political momentum to help move the world towards those goals. China did not support an increase in the number of permanent Security Council members.
U KYAW TIN (Myanmar), speaking on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said the Association would submit the biennial Assembly resolution entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and ASEAN”, intended to address challenges related to sustainable development, climate change, peace and security, human rights, rule of law, disarmament and terrorism. The upcoming Sixth ASEAN-United Nations Summit, to be held in November in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, would be an effective policy tool for strengthening the partnership between the two organizations. ASEAN was implementing a climate change initiative and an action plan. On human rights, ASEAN had adopted a human rights declaration in 2012 and a declaration to end violence against women and children in 2013. It was in the process of implementing the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response, a common platform for disaster management. Deeply concerned by the rise of violence and brutality committed by terrorists and extremists in Iraq and Syria, the Association was implementing its own Convention on Counter-Terrorism and other steps to address terrorism’s root causes, and disrupt terrorism networks and financing. The Initiative for ASEAN Integration Work Plan II aimed to narrow the development gap among the Association’s members.
OD OCH (Mongolia) said his country had already reached the Millennium targets related to infant mortality, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, access to water and basic sanitation, and new information and communications technology. But important goals such as halving poverty, providing housing and ensuring environmental sustainability remained a challenge and required targeted interventions. On climate change, Mongolia aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2030, and using coal, solar, wind, and hydropower, would hope to become the region’s port hub of renewable energy. He expressed concern over the persisting deadlock in the Conference on Disarmament, and as co-chair with Mexico for the first part of the Conference’s 2015 meeting, he called upon all States to take a “bold and decisive” position towards meaningful agreements on disarmament, including the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones in the Middle East and North-East Asia. In its work in justice and international law, Mongolia was “poised to completely abolish the death penalty”. It was important to resume intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform.
TOMMO MONTHE (Cameroon) said that climate change was an enormous challenge facing the international community. Everything should be done to limit the rise in temperature to 2 degrees Celsius. The upcoming meetings in Lima and Paris would be crucial to saving the world’s common future, and the world of future generations. He listed measures taken by Cameroon in response to the environmental challenge, such as his country’s creation of a ministry dedicated to the protection of nature and to sustainable development. He also noted several regional conventions signed by his Government, such as the Treaty on the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystems in Central Africa. He gave details of his country’s forestry activities and initiatives, before turning to development issues. He touched upon the dangers of terrorism and listed his country’s activities in the field of the maintenance of international peace and security.
Right of Reply
Speaking in exercise of the right of reply, the representative of India said that, in regard to the reference made by the representative of Pakistan, it was a matter of deep regret that Pakistan had violated the ceasefire, which had resulted in six people being killed. Relations were being hampered, and the onus was on Pakistan. India’s Armed Forces would respond to provocation.
The representative of Pakistan, also speaking in exercise of the right of reply, said that for seven days, Indian security forces had been shelling across the Line of Control. Yesterday had been the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, yet still Indian forces had played havoc. It was saddening that the Indian Government had not been able to restrain its forces, he said, calling upon the Indian Government to cease fire. The Government of Pakistan had exercised restraint and extended a hand to India, and this unprovoked firing was a cause of deep concern. His Government hoped the Indian side would give peace a chance.
The representative of India, again speaking in exercise of the right of reply, said that India rejected all untenable and unsolicited remarks made by Pakistan.
The representative of Pakistan, again speaking in exercise of the right of reply, said that a working boundary had to be preserved in the interest of people in the region, and asked for restraint from India and from security forces, as well as for the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to be allowed to monitor the ceasefire.