We listen to all the speeches, so you don’t have to. Here’s the second day at a glance:
Sri Lanka
The Sri Lankan President underlined the need to end “political witch hunts” through questionable motives against Member States. Doing so, he said, would ensure the sustainability and the credibility of the United Nations.
“Democratically elected governments of nations understand the pulse and needs of their people the best. It is the responsibility of the UN to assist and support processes of such elected Governments to bring about sustainable solutions for the needs of their people,” he said.
“I wish to reiterate the importance of the UN Charter which enshrines the protection of sovereignty, territorial integrity of States and non-interference in their domestic affairs,” added President Rajapaksa.
Full statement available here
Republic of the Congo
Félix Tshisekedi the president of Congo, underscored his country’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions through the preservation of its forests by planting 1 billion trees in the coming years. The President also expressed his concern about the security situation in the eastern part of the country. He urged more cooperation between the UN mission and the national armed forces, particularly in those areas where armed groups are present.
The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an extremist group, carried out a series of raids on four villages to the west of Beni territory earlier this year. Government authority in eastern DRC is weak and a significant territory is controlled by more than 100 armed groups.
Full statement (in French) available here
Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Bosnia and Herzegovina Head of State, used his address to thank the European Union for the help it has given to non-EU countries, such as his own.
He also encouraged to update the Dayton Peace Accord, which ended the brutal conflict in the former Yugoslavia. This will only be possible, he said, through a wide political consensus, adding that there is a consensus in the country about the “irreplaceable significance of preserving peace and, thus, the Peace Accord on which it is based”.
About migration the head of state said that our country does not have enough resources to cope with illegal migration. He encouraged nations whose citizens are in Bosnia and Herzegovina to sign up to agreements that will enable them to be returned to their home countries.
Full statement available here.
Saudi Arabia
King Salman of Saudi Arabia largely used his speech to brand Iran as a force for chaos in the Middle East, while completely disregarding his country’s human rights record, its extensive use of capital punishment and the targeting of dissidents including Jamal Khashoggi.
“The Kingdom’s hands were extended to Iran in peace with a positive and open attitude over the past decades, but to no avail,” the king said. He accused the Iranian government of having exploited international efforts to contain its nuclear activities, supporting the Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen and targeting Saudi oil facilities in missile strikes.
“Our experience with the Iranian regime has taught us that partial solutions and appeasement did not stop its threats to international peace and security,”
He refrained from criticising the recent deals struck by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain to establish ties with Israel, but concerning attempts to mediate peace between Israel and the Palestinians, the Saudi monarch said a 2002 Arab peace initiative is the basis for a “comprehensive and just solution” ensuring the Palestinians obtain an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
“We support the efforts of the current US administration to achieve peace in the Middle East by bringing the Palestinians and the Israelis to the negotiation table to reach a fair and comprehensive agreement,” said Salman.
Afghanistan
President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan told the UN General Assembly that his country was moving into the next five years “with a clear plan for progressing the values of the UN”, which are enshrined in its own constitution.
Turning to violence and warfare, another source of turbulence for Afghanistan, the President said, “we are living, and dying, inside the fifth wave of global terrorism”.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also urged the world to help his country achieve peace amid talks with the Taliban aimed at ending nearly two decades of conflict, he maintained that “this won’t be enough… we must get to the root of the terrorism problem blighting our region and address it as the global phenomenon, and threat, that it is”.
On why UNGA speeches are important
The General Debates are sometimes more than just posturing. The summit often entails meetings on critical subjects; for example, in 2009 Barack Obama chaired a meeting on nuclear proliferation at the general assembly. Meetings also attract a lot of side events due to the proximity and potential participation of world leaders.
This year, high-level events will include the SDG Moment, commemoration of UN’s 75th anniversary, the Summit on Biodiversity, a high-level meeting on the 25th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing+25) and several other partner events, all of which of course will take place virtually.
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Have a lovely day,
Ariana Yekrangi - Coordinator of UN-aligned
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