Note: A complete summary of today’s General Assembly general debate will be made available after its conclusion.
Opening Remarks
ANTÓNIO GUTERRES, Secretary-General of the United Nations, opened the seventy-sixth session with a wake-up call. “We are on the edge of an abyss — and moving in the wrong direction,” he warned, stressing that societies have never been more threatened — or divided. “We face the greatest cascade of crises in our lifetimes,” from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has supersized inequalities, to the climate crisis, to upheaval in countries spanning Afghanistan to Ethiopia to Yemen, and misinformation polarizing people and societies alike. Human rights are under fire and economic lifelines coming “too little and too late” — if at all.
And while most of the wealthier world is vaccinated, more than 90 per cent of Africans are still waiting for their first dose. “This is a moral indictment of the state of our world,” he said. “We are getting an F in Ethics.” He called the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report a “code red” for humanity, citing scorching temperatures, biodiversity loss and climate-related disasters at every turn. Instead of humility in the face of such epic challenges, hubris prevails, he said, cautioning that people may lose faith not only in their Governments, but in the values that have animated the work of the United Nations for over 75 years: peace, human rights, dignity for all, equality, justice and solidarity. “Promises, after all, are worthless if people do not see results.”
He went on to stress that failure to deliver creates space for humanity’s darkest impulses, fuelling conspiracy theories, cultural supremacy, ideological dominance and violent misogyny. “We face a moment of truth.” He called on Governments to deliver, restore trust and inspire hope, drawing attention to his Our Common Agenda report, which analyses the state of global affairs and offers 90 recommendations for taking on the challenges. Describing six great divides, he turned first to the “peace divide”, stressing that peace and stability remain a distant dream for far too many, stretching beyond Afghanistan and Ethiopia, to Myanmar, the Sahel, Yemen, Libya, Syria, Israel and Palestine.
He said military coups are back, due largely to a lack of unity among the international community. A sense of impunity is taking hold. He expressed fear that the world is creeping towards two sets of economic, trade, financial and technology rules — and ultimately — different military and geopolitical strategies. He described such a scenario as far less predictable — and far more dangerous — than the cold war, calling instead for dialogue, investment in prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, and progress on nuclear disarmament and counter-terrorism, with all efforts anchored in respect for human rights.
To bridge the climate divide, he called for creating trust between the global North and South, with countries doing their utmost in the areas of mitigation, by committing to carbon neutrality by mid-century, finance — with developing nations seeing the promised $100 billion a year — and adaptation, with developed countries living up to their pledges to help developing nations build resilience. “Do not wait for others to make the first move,” he said. “Do your part.”
Bridging the gap between rich and poor starts by ending the pandemic for everyone, everywhere, he continued. A global vaccination plan is needed to double vaccine production and ensure that vaccines reach 70 per cent of the global population in the first half of 2022. Noting that advanced economies are investing nearly 28 per cent of their gross domestic product (GDP) into economic recovery, he said that in sub-Saharan Africa, cumulative economic growth per capita over the next five years will be 75 per cent less than the rest of the world. The Debt Service Suspension Initiative therefore must be extended until 2022 and available to all highly indebted and middle-income countries requesting it. “Countries should not have to choose between servicing debt and servicing their people,” he emphasized, calling as well for reform of national tax systems and the end of tax evasion, money-laundering and illicit financial flows.
He went on to stress that bridging the gender divide would be a game changer for humanity, as societies with equal representation are more stable and peaceful, boasting better health systems and more vibrant economies. “We must urgently transform our male-dominated world and shift the balance of power to solve the most challenging problems of our age,” he said. He called for more women leaders in parliaments, cabinets and boardrooms, and urged Governments, corporations and institutions to set benchmarks and quotas, creating gender parity from the leadership down.
He said restoring trust also means bridging the digital divide, as half of humanity lacks access to the Internet. He called for connecting everyone by 2030, a vision laid out in his Roadmap for Digital Cooperation, and pointed to the growing reach of digital platforms, as well as the use — and abuse — of data. While much is unknown about how information has been collected, by whom or for what purposes, it often is used to boost corporate profits. “Our behaviour patterns are being commodified and sold like futures contracts,” he said. And while autonomous weapons can kill people without human interference, there is no consensus on how to regulate these technologies, which he said should be banned.
Finally, he called for bridging the divide among generations, noting that the world will need the talents and ideas of the estimated 10.9 billion people born by century’s end. Opportunities for today’s 1.8 billion young people also must be expanded. As such, he will appoint a Special Envoy for Future Generations and create the United Nations Youth Office. “Young people need a vision of hope,” he said, as 60 per cent of future voters feel betrayed by their Governments. Calling interdependence “the logic” of the twenty-first century and the United Nations its “lodestar”, he said now is the moment to reignite multilateralism. “Let us restore trust.”
ABDULLA SHAHID (Maldives), President of the General Assembly, recalling the international community’s achievements in the past two years, praised the worldwide collaboration of scientists and researchers to develop multiple viable vaccines for COVID-19. The vaccine roll-out was the largest in the history of humankind, a huge undertaking of which the international community should be proud. Recalling the Secretary‑General’s Our Common Agenda report and his discussions with world leaders, he emphasized that nations want to find solutions to collective challenges such as fragility, conflict, COVID-19 and climate change.
However, he emphasized that more should be done. Political support was often lacking to address the myriad issues facing the world and humankind was at a turning point. COVID-19 may have been a tragedy, but it was also a warning of the perils the world would face if countries avoided making the hard but necessary choices. Nonetheless, he believed in the power of humanity to overcome these challenges, he stated.
During the seventy-sixth session, the General Assembly was directing its efforts on five areas, he continued. Vaccine equity was the priority, with a focus on addressing practical obstacles for vaccine distribution. Longer-term recovery from COVID-19 incorporating better, stronger, greener and bluer strategies would also be addressed. The climate crisis remained a top priority with a series of events on climate action being planned, including one leading to the upcoming twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) to build ambition.
The General Assembly was also going to hold an event on other major environmental efforts on the ocean, desertification and biodiversity, he continued, adding that human rights was the fourth area of focus for the General Assembly. United Nations reform and revitalization must continue and would remain a priority for the General Assembly, he underscored. One of his first actions in this regard would aim at better engagement with civil society organizations, including bringing more youth on board, such as the Youth Fellowship Programme.
Statements
JAIR MESSIAS BOLSONARO, President of Brazil, said his country is a different from the one portrayed in newspapers or seen on television. Outlining the changes Brazil has undergone since his administration took office in January 2019, he declared that there has been not a single case of corruption in the past 2 years and 8 months. “Brazil has a President who believes in God, respects the Constitution, values family and is loyal to its people.” State-owned enterprises, which once incurred billions of dollars in losses, are now lucrative, he said. As for Brazil’s public-private partnership programme, he reported that $100 billion in new investments were contracted and $23 billion were collected in concessions.
On the infrastructure front, Brazil auctioned 34 airports and 29 port terminals to the private sector in 2021 and has more than $6 billion in private contracts for new railroads. As a result, there is less fossil‑fuel consumption and a decrease in the operational costs associated with doing business in Brazil, especially in relation to food production, he said. Brazil’s modern and sustainable low-carbon agriculture feeds more than 1 billion people around the world and takes up only 8 per cent of its national territory.
Turning to environmental matters, he declared that no other country in the world has such a comprehensive environmental legislation. In the Amazon biome alone, 84 per cent of the forest is intact, harbouring the greatest biodiversity on the planet. Deforestation was reduced by 32 per cent in August 2021 compared to August 2020. Moreover, Brazil is an example in energy generation, with 83 per cent coming from renewable sources. He went on to report that Brazil ratified the Inter-American Convention Against Racism, Racial Discrimination and Related Forms of Intolerance and said that 14 per cent of its national territory, over 110 million hectares, is designated for reservation for indigenous people.
Brazil welcomes refugees, he said, citing his Government’s “Operation Welcome” which has already received 400,000 Venezuelans displaced by the severe economic and political crisis there. Furthermore, Brazil will grant humanitarian visas to Afghan refugees, specifically Christians, women, children and judges.
As for combating COVID-19, he emphasized the importance of addressing the virus and unemployment in a simultaneous manner and with equal responsibility. Brazil granted an emergency relief compensation of $800 each for 68 million people in 2020 and recorded approximately 1.8 million new jobs created during the first seven months of 2021. In addition, Brazil distributed more than 260 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and more than 140 million Brazilians, representing almost 90 per cent of the adult population, have received at least the first dose. While his Government supports vaccination efforts, Brazil is against a sanitary passport or any vaccine-related obligation, he said.
Statement by the President of the United States to come.
IBRAHIM MOHAMED SOLIH, President of Maldives, expressed concern that COVID‑19 has pushed achievements and successes back years. “From our small island nations to the Powers spanning continents, the consequences of COVID-19 have been the same,” he said, calling States to work together in solidarity.
Pointing out the catastrophic outcome caused by the coronavirus on his country, whose economy relies on tourism and imports, he said: “Tourists stopped arriving. Foreign currency receipts dropped. Businesses went under. The lockdown hindered social well-being. It set back years of schooling for our beloved children.” With measures taken, “we were able to tackle the pandemic,” he continued, stating that his Government has vaccinated 95 per cent of all school children and 85 per cent of all residents, and reopened schools, business, borders and resorts.
On global warming, citing a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, he noted that the past five years have been the hottest ever recorded. The planet has become 1.1°C warmer. “The difference between 1.5°C and 2°C is a death sentence for the Maldives,” he said, adding that, if the current trend continues unabated, Maldivians, as well as those on other island States, would face a plight of “existential threat”. While calling upon the world’s wealthy nations to help smaller nations in the form of capacity-building, technology transfer and financial resources, he said that his country has put forward an ambitious plan to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, he said.
Noting that Maldives is not immune from the threat of terrorism and extremism, recalling the deadly attacked it faced on 6 May, he condemned terrorism in all its forms and reiterated his Government’s steadfast commitment to address the scourge together with the international community.
He further reaffirmed his country’s solidarity with the Palestinian people, and that it will continue to fight for the full recognition of an independent Palestinian State. As a neighbour in the wider South Asia region, Maldives is concerned about the long-term peace and stability of Afghanistan, he said, calling on all actors to ensure the safety of the people, the protection and realization of the rights of women and girls, and that steps are taken to form an inclusive and representative Government for its people.
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