Director-General's remarks at the Swiss Model United Nations 2024

Swiss Model United Nations 2024

“Addressing the Global Refugee Crisis Amidst Increasing Climate Migration”

Thursday, 24 October 2024, at 10.00 a.m.

Room VII, Palais des Nations

Good morning, dear students,

A warm welcome to the Palais des Nations, one of the largest diplomatic centres in the world. We are very glad to have you all here for the Swiss Model United Nations.

It is wonderful to see so many young, motivated and passionate students of many different nationalities and backgrounds together in this room, and on United Nations Day. 

History of the United Nations

United Nations Day marks the date, 79 years ago, on which the Charter of the United Nations entered into force. The Charter is a landmark document, embodying humanity’s shared values, hopes and aspirations to build a better world from the ashes of World War Two. The United Nations and an international order based on multilateralism, international law and friendly relations between states are rooted in this Charter.

I want to pause briefly here to remark upon the difference in gender balance between the negotiating room in 1945 and the room of young people I see in front of me today. When the United Nations was created, the topic of gender equality in international politics was quite marginal and the presence of women at the negotiating table was rare. For example, in 1945, only four out of 850 delegates at the San Francisco Conference were women. But their participation was meaningful: thanks to female delegates of the Conference, the principle of equal rights for men and women was proclaimed in the Preamble of the UN Charter as one of the basic principles of the Organization.

Since then, the international community has come a long way towards affirming the rights of women around the world. Indeed, the United Nations has been the catalyst for significant social development and progress across various domains. In addition to improving women’s rights, the United Nations has overseen the eradication of deadly diseases, the widespread dissemination of education, a reduction in poverty, the prevention of conflicts, the upholding of human rights, and more.

Our global context has also changed a lot since the UN Charter of 1945, though. We all know that, in 2024, our world faces turbulent times: we are seeing global economic insecurity, growing violent conflicts and nuclear threats, record levels of humanitarian needs, evermore pressing consequences of climate change, deepening inequalities, increasing mistrust and misinformation, and more. These challenges have put the multilateral system – which has the United Nations at its core – to the test. 

The United Nations remains the place where all the world’s nations can gather, discuss common problems, and find shared solutions that benefit all of humanity. But the global community can do better. We must do better. We need an updated system of international cooperation that is fairer, more inclusive, and more effective.

Pact for the Future

To this end, last month global leaders met in New York for the Summit of the Future. There, the international community adopted the ground-breaking Pact for the Future to transform global governance. This was the culmination of an inclusive, years-long process to adapt international cooperation – including the United Nations – to the realities of today and the challenges of tomorrow.

The Pact is the most wide-ranging international agreement in many years. It covers a number of issues, including peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations, and the transformation of global governance. 

The Pact aims, above all, to ensure that international institutions can deliver in the face of a world that has changed dramatically since they were created. In the words of the Secretary-General: “We cannot create a future fit for our grandchildren with a system built by our grandparents.”

For example, the Pact includes the most progressive and concrete commitment to Security Council reform since the 1960s, with plans to improve the effectiveness and representativeness of the Council, including by redressing the historical under-representation of Africa as a priority. 

The Pact also includes: an agreement to strengthen international frameworks that govern outer space, including a clear commitment to prevent an arms race in outer space; steps to avoid the weaponization and misuse of new technologies, such as lethal autonomous weapons; a path to reform the international financial architecture so that it better represents and serves developing countries; and a commitment to more meaningful opportunities for young people to participate in the decisions that shape their lives, especially at the global level. 

There are also two annexes to the Pact: a Global Digital Compact, which is the first comprehensive global framework for digital cooperation and AI governance, and the first-ever Declaration on Future Generations, which contains concrete steps to take account of future generations in our decision-making.

Furthermore, the entire Pact is designed to accelerate implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. On climate change specifically, it confirms the need to keep global temperature rise to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and to transition away from fossil fuels in the energy system, to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Addressing the Global Refugee Crisis Amidst Increasing Climate Migration

It is in this context that I would like to acknowledge the very important theme of your Model United Nations today: “Addressing the Global Refugee Crisis Amidst Increasing Climate Migration”. 

The climate crisis and human displacement are increasingly interconnected. In 2022, climate-related disasters triggered more than half of new reported displacements[1]. Moreover, nearly 60 per cent of refugees and internally displaced people now live in countries that are among the most vulnerable to climate change. And in addition to displacements directly resulting from extreme weather, climate change is a “threat multiplier” — it magnifies the impact of other factors that can contribute to displacement, such as poverty, loss of livelihoods, and tensions relating to dwindling resources, which ultimately create conditions that can lead to conflict and displacement.

Climate change, including its impact on the refugee crisis, is one of the most pressing issues of our time. I am sure that you will bring to the table today some unique and important insights and ideas on this topic.

Youth

Indeed, the input of young people on global challenges, such as climate change, is vital. With the greatest stake in our future, you have a central role to play. Young people have the passion to innovate and the power to raise awareness, and have consistently demonstrated both the will and the skillset to bring about meaningful and necessary change. You can play a paramount role in rethinking and reshaping paradigms and be a positive force for the future. This was emphasized in the Pact for the Future, which I mentioned before.

The United Nations is committed to investing in youth and ensuring youth engagement at all levels. Here at the United Nations Office at Geneva, we fully support the involvement of young people in global affairs and provide a range of opportunities, programmes and youth-focused events to engage and empower youth. These include:

• The Young Activists Summit, which honours and celebrates remarkable young activists from around the world; 
• The Graduate Study Programme, an intensive two-week summer seminar that provides an opportunity for participants to deepen their understanding of the United Nations and “International Geneva” through first-hand observations, lectures, group work, and networking;
• Young Reporters at the UN, in which we open our doors to high school students interested in international affairs to engage with experts from different organizations in a press briefing setting;

Importantly, these initiatives are not only about helping you to learn about multilateralism, but are about two-way exchanges, allowing us here at the UN Office at Geneva to hear your views and incorporate your perspectives into our work. I encourage you to not leave your involvement with the United Nations behind in this room at the end of today, but instead to make this event just one step on your path of engagement with the United Nations.

Dear students,

Today you embody the very spirit of the United Nations: coming together, engaging in discussions, and striving to create a world that is fairer, more peaceful, and more united. You will encounter the challenges inherent in engaging in multilateral discussions, but you will also experience the transformative power of dialogue and collaboration. Many people working today for the United Nations or in multilateral diplomacy found their passion and calling by participating in events such as this.

And you are meeting in the historic Palais des Nations, a place where leaders have convened for a century, since the time of the League of Nations, to forge agreements that advance peace, rights, and well-being, ultimately bettering our lives. 

Here, between these walls that have seen so many leaders of the past, I want to emphasize to you that you can be the leaders not just of tomorrow, but of today. You are a great source of inspiration for the United Nations, and we need your courage and determination more than ever.

When I look at this room filled with bright, young minds, I am filled with hope towards a brighter future. Your choices and actions can steer the course towards a better world for everyone, everywhere. 

I wish you well for your exciting and engaging day ahead. Thank you.