International Conference “Europe Whole, Free and at Peace – 2040” on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of Lithuania’s international recognition and UN membership

Madam President,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen:

It is a great pleasure for me to be representing the United Nations in Vilnius on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of independence and, especially, of Lithuania’s membership in the United Nations and I thank the Government of the Republic of Lithuania for the invitation. On this auspicious occasion, the Secretary-General of the United Nations has sent a message, which it is my privilege to read here and I quote:

I am pleased to congratulate the Government and people of Lithuania as you mark the 25th anniversary of your membership in the United Nations.

For a quarter of a century, Lithuania has served as a staunch defender of the values and principles of the UN Charter. I was honored to be the first UN Secretary-General to visit Lithuania and personally thank you for your commitment.

As you meet, world leaders are gathering in New York for the 71st session of the General Assembly to address global conflicts and transnational challenges.

We are living through an exceptionally turbulent and uncertain time – which includes the rise of violent extremism, economic pressures, political polarisation and xenophobia.

The ongoing armed conflict in eastern Ukraine threatens the entire region and beyond. War, systematic human rights violations, poverty, climate change and natural disasters are leading to large movements of refugees and migrants. Europe’s long-proven institutions have come under pressure.

Today’s challenges should not push us to retreat into national spheres. We need collective responses – at the regional and global level – based on strong institutions.

We must once again recognise our interconnectedness and be good regional and global citizens.
By acting together, we can make impressive progress. Last year in New York, for example, world leaders adopted the historic 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Three months later, the international community made an historic commitment in Paris to address climate change. Next week, world leaders will agree on The New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, to strengthen our global efforts on this global challenge.

These achievements point the world in promising new directions and renew our faith in multilateralism. At a time of global turbulence, they give hope that we can overcome global divisions for the common good. Lithuania’s commitment to multilateralism has advanced these collective efforts.

As we seek to forge solutions to the pressing challenges of our time, I call on you today to continue your advocacy for multilateralism and your support for collective solutions. Let us work together and ensure that Europe will remain “Whole, Free and at Peace.”

That was the Secretary-General’s message.

Allow me to add some personal reflections.
The world has undergone significant changes since 1991, the year when Lithuania joined the UN family. The nature of the changes is even more significant when we compare today’s world to 1945, when the United Nations was created.

Current challenges can no longer be compartmentalized. Power structures at all governance levels are shifting. Our agreed norms and principles are under enormous pressure. The context in which we are working is changing at an unprecedented pace in terms of technology, demography, climate, migration patterns, growing role of urban centers, shifting economic and political structures, etc.

Add to this the rising inequalities in income and opportunities worldwide and the consequent widespread trust deficit towards the ‘authorities’ at all governance levels, and we understand that the expectations of, and possibilities for, individuals are being transformed. Populist, isolationist and protest movements are quick to capitalize on the situation of dissatisfied individuals who desperately look for alternative ways of making their voices heard and improve the conditions of their daily lives.

Parallel to the changing relationships between individuals and institutions, the dynamics between different institutions at local, national, regional and global levels are also undergoing significant changes. Regional organizations are playing a more important role. As an effect of growing urbanization, Mayors play an increasingly significant role. The ageing Westphalian model with the State as the central actor in international relations is being challenged daily by an increasing number of non-State actors. Challenges can no longer be separated and traditional distinctions between inter-State and intra-State do not hold any longer.

Although these trends are not new, the speed with which they are progressing, their deep transformative nature and the extent of their implications have surprised many of us. The global refugee crisis was one of the eye-openers in that regard. We are at a crossroads. With the current speed and extent of change it is simply an illusion to think that we can continue with business as usual – and by ‘we’ I do not just mean the UN system. Addressing today’s challenges with yesterday’s tools and mindsets is no longer an option. We need to develop new policies, new answers and, more importantly, a new business culture to tackle these new realities. All of us, including the private and public sectors, parliaments, academia, civil society and other stakeholders, will need to work in a much more integrated, horizontal manner across issues, across organizations and ministries and across generations. This is what the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Goals is intending us all to do - to think much more about, and act on, the connections between issues and partners.

Almost exactly one year ago, our Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the United Nations General-Assembly in New York. They also agreed on three other policy frameworks in 2015 – the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development and the Paris Climate Agreement – all of which, together, are so comprehensive that, if implemented properly, they have the potential to respond to the significant transformations and challenges we have in front of us. They present the most comprehensive set of shared objectives that the international community has ever set for itself. They form our collective road-map for action. They converge in their implementation and require a much more integrated and collaborative approach, if we are to be successful in reaching the goals the world has set for itself.

I am convinced that with this collective road-map for action, with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as the envelope, we can and will overcome the current challenges. For that to happen, horizontal collaboration across issues and silos must become the new standard. We need to work hard at it, within States, within our international structures, between different organizations and States at regional and international levels. The United Nations has the ability to facilitate these processes.

Lithuania and Lithuanians, individually and collectively, can contribute decisively to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. You have demonstrated in the last 25 years since joining the United Nations family, that you are an engaged and responsible country working for a prosperous world. We need more countries like yours that are eager to go the extra mile for a better future for humanity.

Let me warmly congratulate you on the occasion of your 25th anniversary of independence and of having joined the United Nations. The United Nations family is looking forward to further strengthening the cooperation with your people and your country.

Thank you.