🇪🇺António CostaEuropean Union · UNGA 81 speech

Mr. President of the General Assembly, Secretary-General, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, multilateralism is not an ideal of the past. It is the only realistic way to address the problems of today. Alone, no country can prevent a pandemic, stabilize the climate, secure resilient supply chains, regulate artificial intelligence, ensure financial stability, or deliver sustainable development. Alone, no country, however powerful, can build lasting peace. And this is why Our message is clear. We need multilateralism, multilateralism that is strong, effective, representative, and capable of delivering for people. Multilateralism that protects human rights, strengthens democracy, and advances gender equality. Multilateralism equipped to address the defining challenges of today, peace, the climate emergency, economic insecurity, and artificial intelligence. On artificial intelligence and its governance, we need an accountable, transparent, and regulated architecture. We need an AI that serves humanity, not controls it. We must always be in the driving seat, setting a safe and secure pace of innovation and development. The artificial intelligence industry cannot be regulated by a few major global companies. And the United Nations must play a central role in setting global standards through the United Nations Global Digital Compact, the Independent International Scientific Panel, and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance. Excellencies, The United Nations must remain at the center of the multilateral system. The United Nations is under pressure from geopolitical polarization, financial constraints, and institution shortcomings. But the answer is not withdrawal. The answer is to reform, renew, and reinvest. The UN80 initiative offers an opportunity to make the United Nations more efficient and more effective. The European Union also continues to call for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations Security Council to make it more effective, inclusive, democratic and accountable. The European Union will continue to contribute to strengthen the United Nations politically, financially and through concrete actions. Because the best argument for multilateralism is what it delivers on peace and security with the Treaty of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, on climate action with the Paris Agreement, on poverty and health with the global response to COVID-19. The truth is, when we act together, multilateralism delivers for people. And this is why this week, the United Union, the European Union has launched together with Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, India, and Kenya, the P4M, Partners for Multilateralism, International Law, Peace, and Prosperity. Our initiative aims to be an open platform for partners from all parts of the world who are ready to defend common principles and work towards practical solutions. It is a network for dialogue, coalition building, and practical cooperation. It will support the work of United Nations and other multilateral formats. It will help to build bridges across regions, and it will contribute to advancing the reform and modernization of the United Nations and the multilateral system, helping to turn shared commitments into concrete action. And I invite all the nations in this chamber to join this initiative and endorse the P4M declarations. Excellences.

There can be no double standards in terms of international law. The facts are clear. We are bearing witness to deliberate violations of international law. Following and defending international law is not an option. It is our responsibility. That means protecting the institutions that give their very meaning to these principles, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. We support these courts firmly and we will defend their independence, integrity and their ability to fully carry out their mandate. Threats and attacks on the International Criminal Court and its staff and authorities are unacceptable. Accountability cannot depend on political considerations. International law applies everywhere. International humanitarian law applies everywhere and human rights apply everywhere in Ukraine, in the Middle East, in Africa, in Asia or in Latin America. We are well aware that conflicts never remain purely local. They have repercussions on food security, energy markets, immigration, development and global stability. We can see that with the war of aggression by Russia on Ukraine. This was a war chosen by Russia, the consequences of which are worldwide in scope. This is a devastating aggression on a sovereign state committed by a permanent member of the UN Security Council. The violation of the UN Charter and of international law attacks by Russia on Ukraine also threaten the security of civilian populations beyond Ukraine's borders, and it is unacceptable that over the last 12 months, Russia has on several occasions threatened the security of several European Union member states. Russia must bring an end to this dangerous escalation, and the international community must do its utmost and use all of the tools available to it to bring an end to this war and to create the conditions for negotiations for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. This war must end. The same goes in the Middle East. We regret the current stalemate in Gaza and more broadly speaking in Palestine, which is prolonging the suffering of millions of civilians despite the momentum towards the end of the conflict that we thought we saw at the end of last year. The European Union and its member states have made their positions clear. The two state solution is the only one that can ensure lasting peace in the Middle East. with the State of Israel and the State of Palestine independent and living side by side in peace and security. And we also support all of the efforts to find a solution to the conflict in Iran. The ceasefire must be fully respected. Freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz must be preserved without conditions and without hindrance. For a lasting solution, it is also necessary that security of the countries in the region be ensured. It is essential that Iran never be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. And finally, we hope that the Iranian people can in the future live in peace, security, and as free men and women. Excellencies, the United Nations need an ambitious leader that is firmly committed to the principles of its charter and respect of international law, as is currently being demonstrated by Antonio Guterres. Here, I would like to pay tribute to the Secretary-General His clear efforts in favor of respect of the United Nations Charter, the defense of human rights, reforming the global financial architecture, sustainable development, and decisive action in the face of climate change have all been a true beacon lighting our path, guiding our collective commitment. Thank you very much, Antonio Guterres. The next Secretary-General, the next Secretary-General must continue to fully mobilize all of the tools available to them to be able to prevent conflict, mediate crises, and build peace, particularly emphasizing the Middle East, Sudan, and Ukraine. This commitment will depend on the robustness of the multilateral system tomorrow. Ladies and gentlemen, A more robust multilateral system also calls for stronger partnerships. The EU doesn't purport to impose a model or influence. We aspire to build space for progress and growth together with partners from all regions around the world. For this reason, we continue to build the most dense network of trade agreements in the world, covering 84 countries from around the planet. In the last 12 months alone, we concluded negotiations and signed agreements with India, Australia, Philippines, Mercosur, Mexico, among others, benefiting billions of people. But the value of what we can do with our partners needs to go beyond trade. no sphere is more urgent than that of sustainable development. The 2030 agenda is at risk. The financing gap is growing, the climate crisis is worsening, geopolitical divisions are curbing progress. We need to continue to work to reform the global financial architecture. The European Union stands steadfastly committed to the Paris Agreement, the Pact for the Future and the Sustainable Development Goals funded in line with the Seville Commitment. The EU and its Member States together represent more than 40% of official development assistance at the global level and through our Global Gateway initiative, we are investing in all fields, connectivity, health, education and eradication of poverty. But we mustn't lose any more time. For this reason, the Sustainable Development Goals 2027 should be a turning point to pick up the pace, to correct the mistakes and to commit to 2030 and beyond that.

The European Union is clear about its choice. Cooperation over confrontation. Law over power. Partnership over isolation. Action over paralysis. We are ready to work together with all those who share this conviction. Let us reform. Let us renew. Let us reinvest. Let us act together. Thank you very much.