18 February 2025
Mr. President,
Allow me to start by thanking China and Foreign Minister Wang for selecting this very important topic and for convening this timely debate. And I also thank the Secretary General for his very interesting remarks.
2025 signifies a landmark year in the history of the United Nations. As we are preparing to celebrate its 80th anniversary it is becoming more difficult to meet people that can remember a world without the United Nations and a world shaped by the horrors of the two World Wars.
Therefore, it is necessary to prevent among future generations the risk of oblivion, of the devastation that preceded the creation of the Organization, through highlighting its accomplishments in the promotion of international peace and security, sustainable development and the protection of human rights. It is also a good moment to take stock of Multilateralism and Global Governance at present.
Mr. President,
No one can deny that our world is facing new, complex global challenges, at a scale unthinkable in 1945, from wars and increasing military expenditures, to hunger, poverty and unequal development.
The permanent crisis in the Middle East, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the grave political and humanitarian crises in Sudan, Sahel, Yemen, DRC, Haiti and elsewhere are just a few examples of the serious threats to global stability and the UN Charter.
We believe there is an urgent need for fundamental reform and improvement of our multilateral system, with the UN at its core.
A crucial step towards this direction was made last September, at the Summit of the Future, when the world leaders renewed their commitment to effective multilateralism, by adopting the Pact for the Future and its annexes, the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations.
Our Prime Minister has stated that “the Pact for the Future, as a point of global consensus, is only a first step. But it is a necessary first step. It is a political declaration to act. And political will is a necessary driver for action, at the national level and, collectively, at the global level.”
Greece calls for the rapid implementation of the relevant actions of the Pact, especially on transforming global governance and reinvigorating the multilateral system to tackle these challenges, and seize the opportunities of today and tomorrow.
In this context, reform of the central pillar of the international peace and security architecture, namely the Security Council, is also needed. We support any model of reform that is fair, strengthens the UN as a whole and transforms the Security Council to a more democratic, efficient, representative and accountable body, adjusted to the realities of the 21st century. We are convinced that these goals would be achieved through the enlargement of the Security Council, both with permanent and non-permanent members. We also call for strengthening the relationship of the Security Council with the General Assembly, in order to maintain better international peace and security.
Mr. President,
During the intense negotiations on the Pact for the Future and beyond, Greece insisted that it was necessary to go “back to the basics” of the UN Charter, such as the peaceful settlement of disputes, the respect of international law and the rules and principles of the Charter. These are core elements of Greece’s participation to the Security Council and the necessary foundations for peace and prosperity across all nations.
At the same time, we need to safeguard fundamental rights and freedoms, democracy and the rule of law in an increasingly authoritarian, dangerous and contested world, where human dignity is progressively challenged and where war becomes more prevalent on a greater scale.
Let me also stress that one of the Pact’s most significant achievements is the first global recommitment to nuclear disarmament since 2010. We stress the need this to serve as a basis for upholding and strengthening the international non-proliferation and disarmament architecture, with NPT as its cornerstone.
Mr. President,
Greece recognizes the need to narrow the development divide, and especially the digital divide.
Peace and security cannot prevail in the absence of development and growth. Greece focuses its development efforts and allocates aid -including through capacity building, transfer of know-how and expertise- with the aim of contributing to the reduction of poverty and inequality in the world, the consolidation of peace and security and in order to tackle the root causes of migration flows.
We also believe that Artificial Intelligence offers tremendous opportunities for achieving the SDGs and we are actively engaging to the discussions on the global governance of AI at UN and other fora.
Our common efforts to bridge the digital divide should focus on the implementation of the Global Digital Compact, which represents the first comprehensive global framework for digital cooperation, charting a roadmap for global AI governance.
Mr. President,
We are also deeply concerned with the lack of substantial progress in tackling the effects of climate change. We reaffirm the importance of accelerating action in this critical decade on the basis of the best available science, and we welcome relevant decisions adopted at COP28 and COP29. We also recognize the importance of support to developing countries and their access to climate finance, especially those that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
Mr. President,
In closing, let me underline that the upcoming celebration of the 80th anniversary of the UN serves as a moment of collective reflection on the accomplishments of our Organization, a reiteration of our common belief to its core values and principles, and a time to begin reforming global governance and the multilateral system. Let us all work together towards this direction.
I thank you