2024-09-22 21:55:49
After the adoption in 2020 of a Declaration on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the UN, which had urged, “in this very room”, the international community to act to breathe new life into multilateralism, “the challenges we face are even greater four years later: acceleration of climate change, pandemics, wars affecting millions of people, ?”, noted Mr. De Croo.
“Unfortunately, we are facing a regression of human rights at the global level. Leaders are increasingly placing certain ‘interests’ above ‘values’. Conservative and populist movements are targeting the rights of women and girls. Attempts to rewrite human rights have been underway for years,” Alexander De Croo further deplored, deeming it necessary “to resist these regressions”. “Human rights defenders must be protected, freedom of expression must be guaranteed and politicians must be held accountable for their actions,” he pleaded at the podium.
To overcome divisions and work better for the benefit of people and the planet, it is necessary to keep our commitment to a rules-based international order, continued the Belgian Prime Minister, which requires respect for international law, the application of the principles that led to the founding of the UN, and respect for and promotion of human rights. “The Pact for the Future reaffirms our commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
“It is time to transform global governance and ensure an international financial architecture that works for everyone, particularly for the most vulnerable,” Mr. De Croo added, recalling that Belgium has been “a leading voice for greater efficiency within the multilateral system and multilateral development banks.”
“Belgium stands ready to contribute to this effort, working alongside you to make the vision of a UN 2.0 a reality and create a better and fairer world for people and the planet,” concluded Alexander De Croo, at the end of his speech before the UN General Assembly.
Previously, former Belgian Prime Minister and current President of the European Council, Charles Michel, had also called for more international collaboration and “urgent” reform of the global financial architecture.
“Developing countries need more money, private and public, now. We also need to address the debt problem, because we cannot accept that low- and middle-income countries have to choose between fighting poverty and fighting climate change. They need to do both and we need to support them,” Mr. Michel argued from the podium.
“This Pact for the Future sends a strong signal of confidence that, despite our differences, despite the challenges we face, we can and we want to work together. You can count on the European Union as a strong and reliable partner to make this Pact a success,” concluded the President of the European Council.
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