Speech by President Charles Michel at the 79th United Nations General Assembly
As you enter the building, your eyes are drawn to a bluish light.
It is the stained-glass Window of Peace. At the heart of the United Nations, it is dedicated to those who serve peace. It was created by Marc Chagall, a Russian Jew who lived most of his life in exile, through two world wars.
To guarantee world peace and security, which were regained in 1945, the promises of freedom and solidarity were enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
This is the tenth speech I have had the honour of delivering from this lectern. In my first speech in 2015, I listed ‘the challenges of our generation (…): conflict, poverty, climate, migration’.
None of these challenges have gone away. At the time, however, we thought we had a solid framework – the multilateral order – that would allow us to work together.
Ten years on, that framework is cracking before our very eyes. The use of force and unilateral acts are on the increase. We feel helpless as we watch three major conflicts mix in an explosive cocktail.
In Ukraine, a permanent member of the Security Council has launched an illegal and unprovoked war. This an attempt to impose the law of force rather than the force of law. This war is not only a threat to Ukraine. This war is a threat to us all. The European Union will support Ukraine for as long as necessary. True to the promise of freedom and solidarity, we reaffirm our commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, which must be founded on the Charter of the United Nations.
Freedom and solidarity. By virtue of these same principles, we condemn the despicable terrorist attacks by Hamas. We demand the unconditional release of all hostages. Israel has the right to defend itself, while respecting international law and the principle of proportionality. We call for an immediate ceasefire, in accordance with the order of the International Court of Justice. Every civilian life matters. We condemn the indiscriminate attacks on civilian populations. The EU is taking action, and wants to take more action, to bring about lasting peace as part of a two-state solution.
The endless escalation must stop. It is irresponsible to drag Lebanon into this spiral.
Our appeals, also addressed to the Israeli government, have so far been in vain. This cannot continue. We support the existence of a strong and democratic State of Israel, living in peace and security alongside the Palestinian people, who must also have their own viable and stable State. The Palestinian people deserve respect and dignity.
I have told the government of Israel that aiming for security while neglecting peace is an illusion. That cannot work. Peace is the best guarantee of security. A world fuelled by vengeance and collective punishment is a less secure world. The Palestinian people have the right to their own State. Denying it this right will fuel threats to the security of Israelis indefinitely. This, in turn, will fuel polarisation in the world. It will make the world more dangerous and undermine a multilateral system that cannot tolerate double standards.
A civil war rages in Sudan, with violence, brutality and rape. As always, women are paying the highest price. This is a massive humanitarian disaster: 20 000 deaths, millions of people in crisis and displaced. The entire Horn of Africa is at risk of tipping into chaos. But how far would the two generals at war get without external support? The arms deliveries must stop. We can put an end to this conflict if we want to. Let us act now and put in place a process of reconciliation and peace.
The life of a child killed in a school bombing is precious – in Ukraine, in Gaza or elsewhere. The dignity of a woman who has been raped is sacred, in times of both war and peace. In Sudan, Ukraine or elsewhere. Depriving an entire population of food is a war crime – in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan or elsewhere.
A crime is a crime. No matter who commits it, no matter where it is committed. Our indignation is only sincere if it is universal. The European Union defends international law and humanitarian law with the same vigour, always and everywhere. We condemn acts of destabilisation, whoever commits them.
I am thinking of Iran’s support for its proxies that are ravaging and weakening the Middle East. And of Iran’s military support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.
One thing is clear: Iran and Russia follow the same playbook of nuclear threats, imperialist ambitions and support for ruthless and lawless terrorist groups to destabilise their neighbours and countries further afield.
The creation of the United Nations and the rules-based international system was a giant leap forward. To go backwards is to go back to war! More than at any time since 1945, the world is being turned upside down by an explosive blend of shocks, which are piling up and occurring with increasing speed. A Third World War is possible. We must urgently come to our senses. This will require cooperation and, above all, courage.
Our common rules must be respected. To that end, the United Nations Security Council must free itself from the right of veto that is paralysing it in its current form. The Security Council is not representative. It is hardly legitimate. Above all, it is no longer effective. The Security Council increasingly resembles one of the living dead.
In June 1945, when the Charter of the United Nations was adopted, President Truman said: ‘This Charter (…) will be expanded and improved as time goes by. No one claims that it is now a final or a perfect instrument. (…) Changing world conditions will require readjustments.’
Decades have passed, the world has changed. Adjustments, however, have not taken place. And yet the Security Council needs to be reformed. It must be reformed by making it more inclusive. Africa and Latin America in particular must be given permanent seats. Regional organisations must be more closely involved in UN decision-making processes, including by giving them a systematic consultative voice on the Security Council.
There is no freedom when droughts devastate our crops. There is no freedom when floods ravage our homes. There is no freedom when our children are not vaccinated against an epidemic. Global warming and pandemics have opened our eyes to the need for solidarity. It is not just a question of dignity and generosity. It is also in the interests of developed countries to support the climate transition in developing countries and to help them to strengthen their health systems.
That is why in 2020, together with Dr Tedros, I launched the idea of an international treaty on pandemics. We have succeeded in persuading the international community to negotiate an international agreement. These negotiations have reached an advanced stage. The time to conclude them has come. Mpox has provided a new wake-up call. The idea that lobbies and self-interest should stand in the way of the essential sharing of vaccines and vaccine technologies is unacceptable.
There is no freedom in a world where we are all reduced to our personal data, to a marketing target, or a target of surveillance and manipulation. The digital revolution – and its flagship product, artificial intelligence – is an extraordinary driver for progress, a new fuel for prosperity. But it must serve people and our freedom and human rights. Let us not make the mistake of abusing personal data, as we have abused our natural resources to the point of putting our planet to the test.
Data and artificial intelligence are instruments of power, and even of economic and political subjugation and dominance. And now, also, weapons of war. We need to manage this progress on a global scale. We support the efforts of the Secretary General of the United Nations in this direction. And while technological competition is healthy, insofar as it fosters progress, it must also take place within a common framework on a level playing field. The European Union is involved in this global dialogue. In the case of the G7, of course. But also with the rest of the world – Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
We are also involved in dialogue with those whose ideas we do not share and whose behaviour we do not always agree with. China is a key player in addressing major global challenges. The European Union is seeking to rebalance its economic relationship with China, reduce risks and diversify its supply chains, because over-dependence opens the door to vulnerability and therefore conflict. We also call on China not to support Russia, directly or indirectly, in its illegal war against Ukraine, but rather to use its influence to ensure that the United Nations Charter is upheld.
The international financial architecture must reduce inequalities, not magnify them. When Kenyan farmers do not have access to micro-credit at affordable rates, this is not merely a detail. It is a global development issue. Without sustainable and equitable development, there can be no global stability and security. Global development is underfunded. The gap between annual investment needed and the financial resources that are mobilised is huge.
The Bretton Woods system needs to change radically. The financial firepower of the multilateral development banks must be scaled up to meet people’s real needs, reduce the climate threat and promote prosperity. And creditor countries need to be bolder to restructure debts and reallocate Special Drawing Rights.
Solidarity is not just about transferring financial or technological resources. It is also about governance: improving the business environment, enhancing legal certainty and harnessing the own resources of developing countries. As Mo Ibrahim explained candidly: ‘While economic aid and relief efforts for Africa are wonderful and commendable acts of solidarity, we need to change the way [our] countries are run’. And to be clear: this also applies to developed countries.
Allow me to conclude my tenth speech from this platform with a few personal thoughts.
Firstly, double standards are the modern-day poison of international relations.
When we defend human dignity, territorial sovereignty, honest and fair elections, we must defend and protect them everywhere and at all times. We must all look in the mirror. We are all the heirs of our own histories, cultures, traditions and also our respective mistakes. We must all learn our lessons with modesty and strive to become better. The European Union may go about things in a sometimes clumsy way, but we are sincere and act in good faith to ensure that freedom and human rights are respected everywhere.
Secondly, we need to move away from confrontation between opposing sides and act resolutely for a multipolar world and a multilateral framework, one where each country or group of countries chooses its own path to prosper. And where everyone cooperates by following rules that have been agreed with others. Let us also resist the pressure to choose one side against another in a confrontation between opposing sides that can only end in disaster.
And thirdly, I strongly believe in cooperation between regional organisations. Over the past five years, I have personally invested in developing the European Union’s partnerships with the African Union, CELAC, ASEAN, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the countries of Central Asia. This network of cooperation is a stabilising force and a driver of great progress.
The European Union wishes to be stronger and more autonomous, to strengthen its ability to interact and work with others for peace, freedom and solidarity. A world in which the EU is expected to make its own voice heard.
Two world wars, the Holocaust, the absolute denial of humanity. The continent of Europe bears these indelible scars, not to mention a special responsibility to defend freedom, solidarity and universal human dignity. The European project is one of reconciliation, cooperation and also friendship and fraternity. It is therefore one of inspiration and hope. Optimism is a duty. We can once again change the course of history, pull ourselves together. Nothing is inevitable. More peace and security is possible. More freedom and solidarity is possible.
Peace requires efforts. It is never a given. It is delicate and difficult to repair when it breaks. But it is magnificent and bright, like Marc Chagall’s stained-glass window. Let us be tireless peacekeepers. You can rely on the European Union. Thank you.