Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,

Mr. Dennis Francis,

at the 81st Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly to hear an Address by the President of the Republic of Italy

? ?7 May 2024

[As Delivered]

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Your Excellency, Sergio Mattarella, President of the Republic of Italy,

Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations,

Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,

I am pleased to convene today¡¯s plenary meeting ¨C at the request of the Permanent Mission of Italy ¨C to hear a special address by His Excellency, President Mattarella, whose dedication to multilateralism is exemplary, and must remind us of the values we all strive to uphold.

I sincerely thank the Mission of Italy for this initiative, and warmly welcome to the United Nations, Your Excellency, President Mattarella ¨C looking forward to hearing your invaluable reflections.

I also welcome the Secretary-General and thank him for his unwavering advocacy for a strengthened and networked multilateral system ¨C which, as you aptly noted, ¡°is not a choice, but rather, a necessity.¡±

 

Excellencies,

I assumed the Presidency of this august Assembly last September ¨C with a commitment to rebuild trust and reignite global solidarity towards peace, prosperity, progress, and sustainability for all.

This commitment was grounded on the foundational tenets of this organization ¨C espoused in the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

My Presidency¡¯s vision is also anchored on inclusive diplomacy and dialogue as cornerstones of stronger international cooperation among equally sovereign States ¨C values that have guided this venerable institution for nearly 80 years.

Indeed, the international system ¨C established post-World War II ¨C has over the years succeeded in preventing major military conflicts and, importantly, averted a nuclear catastrophe among the great powers.

Yet ¨C despite our rich legacy of successes ¨C the vision of a seamlessly functioning multilateral system has yet to be fully achieved.

Today, our multilateral system is beleaguered by a myriad of interconnected challenges ¨C among them, the intractable conflicts, wars and terrorism ¨C posing a real dilemma for our collective efforts to secure sustained global peace and security.

The ongoing aggression against Ukraine; the calamity and humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip; the gang mayhem in Haiti and the internal strife and human rights violations in Sudan, among others, must compel all of us to use occasions such as this to candidly reflect on the efficacy of our institutions ¨C let alone their future sustainability, amidst growing public scrutiny.

The escalating geopolitical tensions and the prevailing dynamics not only point to the deepened mistrust among Member States, but also to a significantly waned solidarity among nations ¨C undermining the cohesion needed to uphold the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Charter and international law: the backbone of our multilateral system.

Today, more than ever, we need a robust Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-led multilateral system that is capable of confronting global challenges ¨C from climate change and poverty eradication, to preventing human rights abuses and arms proliferation.

 

Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,

Let me close by underscoring that ¨C for us to achieve our goals, including the 2030 Agenda ¨C effective and inclusive international cooperation is imperative.

Looking forward, the Summit of the Future this September offers us another unique opportunity to reinvigorate our multilateral system ¨C not just another gathering, but a beacon to reimagine our collective future for decades to come.

The Summit is our chance to address the crises of multilateralism ¨C by modernizing our outdated international institutions¡¯ architecture and its global governance.

As intergovernmental negotiations on the Pact of the Future progress, I take this opportunity to urge all Member States to engage in a spirit of compromise and constructive dialogue ¨C as we strive to redefine multilateral cooperation in an increasingly multipolar 21st century.

Reform is crucial to restoring the credibility and legitimacy of our multilateral system ¨C and will require, at the very least, a renewed commitment to the foundational principles of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Charter by the Member States themselves, working together with relevant stakeholders.

In unity and solidarity, let us work much harder to reinvigorate our multilateral system ¨C for a better future for all.

 

I thank you.

 

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