Kingdom of Denmark, 2025

I now give the floor to Her Excellency Christina Markus Lassen, Chair of Delegation of Denmark. Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, Distinguished Delegates, Friends and Colleagues. Eighty years ago, representatives from around the globe came together to establish the United Nations. My country, Denmark, was part of that historic moment. But many other nations were not given that opportunity. In 1945, the world was still a world of empires, of colonies and dependent territories that were not free to choose their own political destiny. The establishment of the United Nations did not change that overnight. Yet, it set the world on a course toward a radically different order. An order based on the equal rights and self-determination of peoples and of nations. Large and small. A rules-based, international order. As this order grew into being, the world saw tremendous progress. More than a billion people were lifted out of poverty, standards of living and life expectancies rose, and networks of economic, political, social and cultural relations across the globe were formed. It even seemed that wars between states were becoming a thing of the past. In recent years, this path has been broken. Wars are back. Extreme poverty is on the rise. International law is under pressure. Does this mean that the United Nations has become irrelevant? Of course not. The conclusion is the opposite. The UN is as essential as ever. Without the UN, the world would be in a much worse state. But as the world is changing, so must the United Nations. Excellencies, last year we agreed on the pact for the future. We committed to updating global governance, doing away with historical injustices of the existing system, expanding the Security Council and reforming the international financial architecture, bringing about a system that delivers for all. This year, the Secretary General presented his UN80 reform initiative. I thank the Secretary General for his bold act of leadership. I encourage and expect more concrete proposals on how to adopt the UN system to new realities, making hard choices. And I ask fellow member states to engage constructively in the process. Excellencies, as an elected member of the Security Council, Denmark works towards ensuring that the Council fulfills its vital mandate towards safeguarding international law, including international humanitarian law, and ensuring that the voices of those affected by conflict are heard by the Council. At times, we succeed with fellow members through a shared sense of purpose. Too often, however, results are not possible. Too often, the Security Council is divided, unable or unwilling to act. The costs of inactions are felt around the world, from the raging war in Sudan to the erasure of women's rights in Afghanistan, from the spiraling gang violence in Haiti to the crisis in Myanmar to the instability across the Sahel, not to mention the horrible situation in Gaza. Almost two years have passed since the horrific terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, an attack that tore through Israeli families and left the nation wounded to its core. Denmark has repeatedly and consistently condemned the attack and called for the immediate release of all hostages. We have also said from day one that Israel has a right to self-defense. But what is going on in Gaza right now has nothing to do with self-defense. A man-made famine is spreading. Thousands of civilians are being killed. The humanitarian catastrophe is of unbearable scale. It must be brought to an end immediately. Israel must comply with international law, including international humanitarian law. The war in Gaza needs to stop. The two-state solution remains the only solution to a lasting peace for two peoples, both deserving of security, both deserving of dignity. The high-level conference on the two-state solution last Monday clearly demonstrated that the momentum is growing, that we are witnessing a renewed energy and enthusiasm for peace based on the two-state solution, a solution that Denmark is prepared to build on. The keys to recognition of a Palestinian state can no longer lie in the hands of the Israeli government. The Palestinians themselves must become masters of their own destiny. Excellencies, in Ukraine, Russia's horrific and illegal war of choice continues, a war that could end tomorrow if only Russia wanted to, if only Russia would withdraw to its own territory and refrain from trying to alter international borders by force. Russia's blatant violation of the UN Charter is felt most intensely in Ukraine and in Europe, yet its political and economic repercussions are felt across the world, from the disruption of supply chains to global inflation, costs that are borne primarily by developing countries far away from the European battlefield of Russian creation. From the outset, Denmark has stood by Ukraine, politically, economically, militarily, and let there be no doubt, Denmark will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes. We must support Ukraine's military as it fights to protect its people, its territory, and its freedom. This is exactly what Denmark is doing through a range of initiatives. We call on others to step up and do the same, because Ukraine is not just fighting for its own existence, it is fighting to defend the very principle that defined the UN-based world order, territorial integrity, national sovereignty, and the right to political independence. Let us never forget that Russia is the aggressor. Russia's repeated violations of European airspace, with aircrafts and drones, underline Russia's insistence on staying on a path of war. So colleagues, I ask you, are these the actions of a country generally committed to peace? Excellencies, our collective inability to halt the killings, suffering, and injustices in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and beyond, must not prompt us to submit to a world ruled by brute force. On the contrary, it must inspire us to work harder to sustain the instruments and mechanism we have built over the last 80 years. To Denmark, this includes maintaining our firm support for the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court as core international justice institutions. We do believe that this is paramount. It also includes maintaining our firm support for the Sustainable Development Goals. With only five years to 2030, we are still far from reaching those goals, and the financing gap is widening. For 45 years, Denmark has delivered on the UN target of 0.7 percent in official development assistance. We call on other fellow member states to join us, not as an act of altruism, but as a long term investment in our shared future. Excellencies, in a world of competing crises, climate change and its impact remain real. Flooding, drought, heat waves, again, the cost of inaction are felt across the world, and particularly in developing countries. The COP30 climate summit in Brazil will be a decisive moment. The benefits of the green transition are evident. Demand for clean technology is on the rise. In 2024, more than 90 percent of new power added to the world's grid came from renewable energy. Green transition is not only good for the planet, but also for investments, innovation, jobs, competitiveness, and resilience. So sometimes, all good things really do go together. Excellencies, building on a livable planet for future generations is not just about nature or resources. It's about people. Defending human rights is as essential as today as it was in 1945, perhaps ever more so as the pressure is growing, especially on the rights of women and girls. To Denmark, it is evident that gender equality is not only the right thing to do. It is the smart thing to do. That is also why Denmark, as we look to the upcoming process of selecting a new Secretary General for the United Nations, is encouraging member states to put forward qualified female candidates. After 80 years, it is high time for a woman to be at the helm of this organization. Excellency, in closing, I would like to recall the wisdom of Nelson Mandela. It always seems impossible until it is done. When we compare the world of today to the world of 1945, the progress is evident. Empires have been dismantled. Millions have been lifted out of poverty. The equal rights of all human beings and of nations large and small have been recognized. In a world of rapid change and growing uncertainty, we must not lose sight of how far we have come. Nor must we forget that it was by working together we got here. Let us rekindle the spirit of cooperation that led to the establishment of the United Nations 80 years ago. It always seems impossible until it is done. I thank you, Madam President. I thank the Chair of the Delegation of Denmark.