“The 18th Edition of Geneva International Model United Nations Annual Conference 2017” by the Geneva International Model United Nations (GIMUN)

Ms. Peytremann [President of GIMUN],
Ambassador Spoljaric [Chief, United Nations and International Organisations Division, DFAE],
Dear colleagues, students and friends,

It is a great pleasure to be with you at the opening of the 18th edition of the Geneva International Model United Nations (GIMUN) Annual Conference. A very warm welcome to the Palais des Nations! Your presence at this event illustrates not only the remarkable talents of the members of GIMUN but also a testament to its regional and cultural diversity, with more than 300 participants coming from some 50 countries. Congratulations to the GIMUN organizers and to all of you for your outstanding commitment to resolve challenges peacefully through dialogue.

In the course of the next five days you will simulate the functioning of several UN bodies. You will discuss a range of thematic issues as well as regional and country specific situations. The ongoing conflicts, impact of sanctions, threat of biological and toxin weapons, plight of refugees, rights of persons facing the death penalty, economic resilience of least developed countries, combating poverty, strengthening the role of the United Nations… Your list of complex and inter-related challenges goes on. Let me offer you my reflections on some of these issues.

Our new United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, announced that one of his immediate priorities would be to strengthen diplomacy for peace in creating conditions to resolve conflicts. We must strive for a peaceful future, not one where states need to remilitarize in order to feel powerful and safe. As technology is advancing, lethal autonomous weapons as well as biological and toxin weapons have become more sophisticated. Their capacity to kill and destroy have significantly increased. Regulating their use and limiting their production and development have to be among the top priorities.

Prevention of man-made conflicts, natural disasters and other threats that undermine the well-being of the world population is becoming more prominent on the agenda of the international community. A comprehensive approach to prevention, which brings together the three pillars of action – peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights – will be key. Our Secretary-General has declared prevention as his and the UN’s top priority. Over the last two years, the international community underlined this in adopting several policy frameworks that will shape multilateralism in the coming years under the umbrella of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Together with the Paris Climate Agreement, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, they form our common universal and integrated roadmap of shared goals.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development contains 17 goals, and its 169 specific targets address issues such as ending poverty and hunger, improving health and education, achieving gender equality, making cities more sustainable, combating climate change and protecting the environment, developing infrastructure and creating decent work, reducing inequalities and promoting strong institutions. Its universal and integrated nature challenges us all, Member States, International Organisations and the multitude of other stakeholders to work in a more horizontal and collaborative manner than we have ever done before. It cuts across issues, across organizations and across generations.

This week, in your roles as country representatives, you will be simulating the work of the UN bodies: debating, arguing and defending your positions with representatives from other countries. Let me just challenge you in asking you whether you are convinced that the right actors are around your negotiation and decision making tables. You might want to include non-State actors in the discussion to give space and hear the voice of concerned players and stakeholders. Everybody who will be impacted by your decisions might want to contribute to it. The discussion table should be wide enough to invite refugees themselves, for example, if you are addressing a refugee crisis; a non-governmental organization working with the families of death-row inmates if you are debating the issue of capital punishment; or a company that helps advance labor rights in a Least Developed Country if you aim to combat poverty worldwide. Bringing the right actors and stakeholders around the table will only enrich the outcome, increase its ownership and strengthen the sustainable follow up. If we want to be efficient in implementing the collective roadmap of the Agenda 2030, we need to work together in new ways and new partnerships with governments, civil society, academic institutions and the private sector.

From your studies and research you probably realize that governance systems and structures developed in the aftermath of the Second World War no longer reflect current realities. Our agreed governance structures, norms and principles are under enormous pressure. The pace of change is extraordinarily fast in terms of technology, demography, climate, migration patterns, growing role of cities, shifting economic and political structures, etc. Power structures at all governance levels are shifting and current challenges can no longer be dealt with in the way we have done it before, within the existing silos. Add to this the rising inequalities in income and opportunities worldwide. The consequent trust deficit towards institutions of power is widespread. It prompts people in difficult circumstances to search for alternative ways for improving the conditions of their daily lives. In turn, this situation is exploited by those who offer narrow-minded populistic and seemingly easy solutions, which, as we know from our history lessons, do not work in the long run. The dynamics between different institutions at local, national, regional and global levels are also undergoing significant changes. Regional organizations are playing, and will be playing, a more important role. It is therefore timely that you will also simulate the debates at the regional level of the African Union, for example.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which I referred to earlier, touch upon all issues on your agenda. At the core of the 2030 Agenda, which covers all aspects of our life, is the interconnectedness among its goals.

Let me demonstrate this interconnectedness with one example. Goal 5 aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Without realising this goal, it will not be possible to successfully implement the other 16 Goals. The systematic mainstreaming of a gender perspective in the implementation of the Agenda as a whole is crucial. Likewise, Goal 5 cannot be achieved on its own, but only when linked with other goals, such as the elimination of poverty, quality education, decent work and economic growth, good health and well-being, and others. The achievement of full human potential and sustainable development is not going to be possible if one half of humanity continues to be denied its full enjoyment of human rights and opportunities. It is imperative that the gender aspect be considered every time we discuss challenges and look for solutions.

In response to the current global challenges, there is also an urgent need to reform the United Nations. Our Secretary-General is taking concrete steps to advance the following three priority reform areas:

The first is the reform of the peace and security architecture and operations strategy. An internal review team to advance this reform is already in place to develop concrete proposals in consultation with Member States and relevant entities.

Second, the Secretary-General has announced a reform of the United Nations development system, based on coordination and accountability. This reform will enable the United Nations system as a whole to better support countries in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the action on climate change, as well as other political frameworks. A working group is already working on this.

The third component will be a reform of the internal management of the United Nations. There is an urgent need to make the bureaucratic structures of our organization more decentralized, more flexible, more transparent and therefore more efficient.

With these reforms our organisation will be better placed to implement the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. This new common roadmap will enable the international community to target root causes of conflicts and disasters in a much more strategic, holistic and preventative way. Preventing conflict and creating sustainable peace is not possible without the promotion and protection of human rights and the rule of law. Deepening the implementation of these frameworks gives us a chance to make prevention a reality through the most integrated, comprehensive, and innovative global approach that we ever devised for ourselves.

Young people – you - have an important role to play in the implementation of our common goals. You represent a quarter of the world population. You have the potential to change and challenge structures and states of mind. The need to respect all cultures and societies, the need to work together to alter narratives of fear and hatred is something you need to embrace. You are the leaders of tomorrow, and I encourage you to be creative and to pursue your future endeavours with energy, passion and hope.

Finally, let me commend GIMUN for its efforts in promoting multilingualism and I thank your fellow students in the interpretation booths who ensure English, French and Turkish interpretation.

I wish you a fruitful discussion.

Thank you very much.