Kingdom of Denmark, 2010

The world is undergoing

profound changes. Globalization is progressing at an

unprecedented speed. The boundaries between

domestic and foreign policy are evolving.

Developments in one region of the world may trigger

unintended actions in other parts of the world. New

actors — for good or for bad — have stepped on to the

international scene. The world is now on the way to

recovery from the financial and economic crises of

recent years. More structural challenges, such as

climate change, poverty and demographic projections,

as well as new security threats, however, will

increasingly impact the global agenda. If we are to

respond to such challenges, we need an effective

multilateral system founded on universal rules and

values and on global legitimacy. Here, we turn to the

United Nations.

With the Lisbon Treaty in force, the European

Union has established the necessary structures to take

on the challenges of the twenty-first century and has

enhanced its capacity as a global player. We look

forward to seeing this reflected in the future position of

the European Union in the United Nations, and we

regret that it has not been possible to come to an

agreement on this issue (see A/64/PV.122). The

European Union will retain observer status at the

General Assembly. The main effect of the draft

resolution will be to enable the European Union’s new

permanent interlocutors to represent the European

Union effectively in the General Assembly, speaking

on behalf of the European Union and of its member

States, as agreed by them. The European Union has a

clear commitment to effective multilateralism, with the

United Nations at its core.

One of the most significant global challenges

today is to fulfil the promises of the Millennium

Declaration (resolution 55/2) for a better world for

everyone. With last week’s Millennium Development

Goals summit, a new momentum has been built — a

momentum for action, for the implementation of

commitments and for focusing our common efforts to

reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by

2015. Five years is not a long time, especially when we

also need to overcome the effects of the financial and

economic crisis. But our task is clear. We must make

the MDGs a reality for all. We need to accelerate

progress and scale up our efforts where approaches

have proven to be successful. We have to be

innovative. Developing countries must focus their

political will, administrative capacity and budgetary

resources on reaching the MDGs, while we as donors

must live up to and fulfil our official development

assistance commitments.

We have clear evidence that fragile and conflict-

affected countries are lagging behind the most with

regard to the achievement of the MDGs. The

comparative advantage of the United Nations system

and its unique possibilities in combining humanitarian,

peacekeeping, peacebuilding, recovery and development

approaches are especially relevant in relation to these

countries. We strongly encourage the ongoing efforts to

strengthen the United Nations role in this regard. We

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welcome the Secretary-General’s steps to strengthen

the peacebuilding architecture, but more work is

needed in areas such as strengthened integrated

missions, improving in-country leadership, and

strengthening the Peacebuilding Support Office in

order to forward the peacebuilding agenda.

Green growth is an important challenge that

offers new opportunities for employment, innovation

and wealth creation in developed and developing

countries alike. Together, we must strive to optimize

resource efficiency and apply green technologies.

Renewable energy is a good example of how new

technologies can contribute to development by

providing secure, sustainable and affordable energy to

millions of people. Green growth is not an obstacle to

development but an opportunity. We must unite our

efforts to take this agenda forward in the immediate

future and in preparation for the United Nations

Conference on Sustainable Development in May 2012.

Climate change continues to be one of the

greatest and most pressing challenges of our time, and

we are already starting to experience the consequences —

from melting icecaps in the Arctic, heatwaves in Russia

and floods in Pakistan to droughts in Africa. It

concerns all of us, and concerted and urgent action is

needed. The Copenhagen Accord contains delicate

political compromises, paving the way for eventually

reaching a global, legally binding international

agreement within the United Nations framework. More

than 130 countries, covering more than 80 per cent of

global emissions, have now associated themselves with

the Accord reached in Copenhagen in December last

year. We underline the importance of the commitments

on fast-start financing, which must be fulfilled. We are

looking forward to the sixteenth Conference of the

Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention

on Climate Change in Cancún, Mexico, and hoping for

a successful outcome that will significantly advance

negotiations on climate change.

In the ever more interdependent and ever more

uncertain world we live in, it is of priority to uphold

the principles, objectives, universal rights and

fundamental values that are enshrined in the United

Nations Charter and that form the very basis for global

stability, development and global prosperity.

Strengthening the mutual understanding between

cultures is an important challenge and a valuable

opportunity for all of us.

During the past month, we have witnessed just

how important it is to maintain mutual respect and

understanding. As history has taught us, there are

always those who are ready to do the unthinkable in

order to catch the attention of the international media.

The threats to burn the Koran in Florida were a

particularly repulsive example of this phenomenon. We

strongly condemn such acts, but as we have learned,

the more attention we give such individual acts of

provocation, the more they will multiply. We must

never allow such acts to steer our steps from the path

of dialogue. We must stand firmly and jointly against

any call to strife and violence.

States must ensure the human rights and

fundamental freedoms of their citizens in order for

each individual to take an active part in shaping his or

her own future to the benefit and prosperity of all.

Women’s rights and gender issues are an essential part

of human rights. The women’s rights agenda supports

and strengthens the overall effort of human rights’

implementation. International peace and security rest

upon the ability and willingness of States to ensure the

protection of their populations from human rights

violations and atrocity crimes.

In this context, I welcome the ongoing debate

among Member States on the responsibility to protect.

Denmark will take an active part in the further

development of this concept, which provides the

framework for a comprehensive approach. It is closely

linked to another key Danish priority — that of

strengthening the rule of law. Be it at the global,

regional or national level, the rule of law provides

transparency and accountability and thereby leads to

better governance. The establishment of the office of

Ombudsperson in relation to the Security Council

Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267

(1999) was a successful example of our work at the

global level.

Piracy off the coast of Somalia presents a

regional challenge that Denmark — through its naval

efforts off Somalia and its chairmanship of the legal

working group of the Contact Group on Piracy off the

Coast of Somalia — is committed to meeting. At the

national level Denmark, in close cooperation with

partner countries, provides hundreds of millions of

dollars to strengthen legal systems and judicial

capacities throughout the world. Let me stress here that

our support for the International Criminal Court in no

way springs from a wish for the Court to prosecute all

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international crimes. National jurisdictions are almost

always better placed to combat impunity, and through

our rule of law programmes we seek to promote true

national ownership and complementarity for those able

and willing to face the hard choices.

The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction

is the most serious danger emanating from

globalization. Following many years of deadlock,

however, 2010 has been a year of progress. We

welcome the international momentum in dealing with

the issue of nuclear weapons as reflected in the New

START agreement between the United States and the

Russian Federation, the nuclear summit and, notably,

the results of the Review Conference of the States

Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of

Nuclear Weapons (NPT) here in New York in May. It is

important that all States parties commit to

implementing the measures of the NPT action plan.

The issue of non-proliferation remains high on

the agenda, not least due to our deepening concerns

about the allegedly peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear

programme. With the adoption of Security Council

resolution 1929 (2010), the international community

has sent a clear signal to the Iranian leadership that we

do not tolerate the continuous and increasingly grave

flouting of Iran’s international obligations. It is hoped

that this resolution will help to convince Iran to change

its current path and enter into negotiations.

I should like to take this opportunity to welcome

the parliamentary elections in Afghanistan earlier this

month, which represent yet another step on

Afghanistan’s road towards democracy. The elections

came after the successful outcome of the Kabul

Conference. We look forward to the implementation of

the Conference initiatives leading to the transition to

full Afghan ownership in all areas.

The international community and the United

Nations must continue to play a supporting role in

Afghanistan in the years to come. In this context,

Denmark believes there needs to be a coordinated

civilian and military engagement in Afghanistan as a

precondition for success. The regional aspects also

need to be addressed. In this context, my thoughts go

to the people and the Government of Pakistan, who

have not only experienced sacrifices due to terrorism,

but also heavy losses and suffering due to the

unprecedented flooding of the country. Denmark has

committed more than $45 million in assistance to

Pakistan so far this year.

Denmark welcomes the recent relaunch of direct

negotiations between the leaders of Israel and the

Palestinian Authority on reaching an agreement on all

the core issues within one year. We also welcome the

Quartet’s statement encouraging these negotiations.

They will be difficult, but we believe that an agreement

is possible and that it is in the interest not only of

Israelis and Palestinians, but also of the peoples in the

region and beyond. We strongly support the United

States efforts to facilitate the negotiations, and we call

on the parties to negotiate in good faith and to live up

to their obligations. The direct peace talks actualize the

importance of enhanced international political and

financial support for Palestinian State-building.

Denmark and the European Union stand ready to assist

in fulfilling the goals of two States for two peoples

living side by side in peace and security.

Peace needs to be secured in all parts of the

world. In this context, the implementation of the 2005

Comprehensive Peace Agreement is vital to the future

of the Sudan. The international community needs to

support the referendum process to secure inclusive,

free and transparent elections. Without prejudging the

outcome of the referendum, I should like to stress the

importance of developing institutional capacity and of

creating more self-sustainability in South Sudan.

Likewise, we are very concerned about the

humanitarian situation in many parts of the country.

Focus should be on securing access to all areas for

humanitarian workers and international peacekeepers.

In Somalia, the focus must be on the need to support

the Transitional Federal Government and improve the

coordination of assistance, including within the United

Nations system.

The best way to deal with these global challenges

is through an effective and strong multilateral system —

through a strong United Nations system. The ability of

the United Nations effectively and efficiently to deal

with the global challenges of the twenty-first century

must be improved. Continuing the paths of system-

wide coherence and delivering as one is part of that.

Reforms of the intergovernmental machinery and of the

workings of the Secretariat must also be pursued. We

welcome the ongoing intergovernmental negotiations

on Security Council reform aimed at changing the

membership in order to reflect the world of today. Let

me take this opportunity to welcome the establishment

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of UN Women and the appointment of Ms. Michelle

Bachelet of Chile as the first Under-Secretary-General

and head of that agency. We have high expectations

that the new entity will contribute to streamlining in

the area of gender, women’s rights and development

throughout the United Nations system.

In the area of peacekeeping we commend

initiatives, such as New Horizon, to readjust United

Nations peacekeeping efforts in light of the experiences

gathered during the last decade of immense growth in

United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Let me conclude by emphasizing that today’s

world is more complex than ever. But on so many

issues, countries want to work together towards long-

lasting solutions. More often than not, they turn to the

United Nations to find answers. They turn to an

international body whose strength has been and still is

based on its unique global legitimacy. Hence they, and

we, expect the United Nations to live up to

expectations, to perform, to show leadership and to

push the envelope. Global challenges call for global

answers. The United Nations must live up to this call,

fulfilling the aspirations of the Charter. No less will do

for the twenty-first century.