Ireland, 2014

It is my great honour

to represent Ireland today at the General Assembly.

Regrettably, this gathering comes at a dangerous time in

global history. Delegates here represent a world facing

many challenges, but they are challenges that can be

tackled with unity of purpose and surmounted through

strong leadership, especially from this Organization,

the United Nations. Indeed, the United Nations must be

at the vanguard of efforts to eradicate terrorism where

it flourishes, to preserve the sovereignty of States

where it is threatened and to promote and protect peace

and human rights where those essential components of

human dignity and human happiness are lacking.

In my address this afternoon, I will focus on

the conflicts that beset the Middle East and Eastern

Europe, and I will do so in a way that reflects the

foreign policy tenets of my country: first, dialogue

and compromise as the solution to intractable conflicts

between peoples; secondly, respect for the rule of law

and solidarity within the international community

when a democratic State is threatened; thirdly, a strong

commitment to peacekeeping while preserving Irish

military neutrality; fourthly, the critical importance of

development; and last but not least, the promotion of

human rights, in particular the rights of minorities and

of women and girls in this troubled world.

I will begin by outlining some thoughts on the

importance of reform of the United Nations and its

Security Council. We see a world beset by warfare

and terror on many fronts. Heart-rending reports of

escalating casualty and refugee numbers, the slaughter

of innocents, the suffering of children and vulnerable

adults in Iraq, Syria, Gaza, Ukraine and many other

conflicts dominate the news on our airwaves and

television news and on the Internet. The people we

represent in the Assembly rightly expect the United

Nations to be a source of action. Regrettably, too

often, they see an institution that seems hamstrung and

stymied in situations where it needs to be both decisive

and strong.

It is not that we lack the necessary instruments; the

many achievements of this great Organization amply

demonstrate its capacity to act decisively and effectively

when the necessary political will is forthcoming. For

the United Nations to meet the manifold, complex

and grave challenges that are dominating this year’s

session of the Assembly, the Organization must review

its working methods and priorities. Resources must be

directed to the areas of greatest need and used with the

utmost efficiency.

In particular, we must see new approaches to the

work of the Security Council — something Ireland

and its partners in the Accountability, Coherence and

Transparency Group have been actively promoting.

While Ireland would like to see the veto power in the

Council ultimately abolished, we strongly welcome

the initiative of France, supported by Mexico, to

better regulate the use of that power by the Council’s

permanent members. Moreover, Ireland supports an

increase in the membership of the Security Council to

more closely reflect regional balances as well as the

current realities of population and economic weight in

the world.

The challenge of achieving peace in the Middle East

remains as great as ever. As Member States, we must do

more to assist the United Nations in its vital life-saving

efforts in Syria and the many other humanitarian

challenges confronting the broader region. I want to

pay particular tribute here to the heroic role of the

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine

Refugees in the Near East and its brave and dedicated

staff in Gaza, 11 of whom tragically lost their lives

during the recent horrific conflict. We are all indebted

to Pierre Krähenbühl and his colleagues for providing

an indispensable lifeline to the people of Gaza over

many years.

Our goal must be to ensure that there is no return to

the recurrent cycles of violence that we have witnessed

in Gaza and southern Israel on three occasions now,

most devastatingly during July and August. Each cycle

of violence appears to harden attitudes on both sides of

the conflict, and yet, ultimately, no one can want peace

more than those most directly affected by its absence.

It is widely acknowledged that the achievement of

a lasting peace requires that the underlying issues that

gave rise to the most recent bout of violence must be

definitively addressed. The closures and restrictions

that have applied to Gaza for seven long years now must

be brought to an end. Equally, there must be assurances

for all Israelis and Palestinians that they will not

be subjected to indiscriminate violence, whether

that violence comes in the form of rocket attacks

targeting Israel or retaliatory strikes with devastating

consequences for Gaza and its people.

It is also now long past time for the attainment

of a comprehensive peace between the Israeli and

Palestinian peoples. None of us is under any illusions

about the difficult and painful compromises that will

be involved. In essence, however, I believe that most

Israelis and Palestinians recognize that the only true

basis for peace and security between them lies in the

realization of a just, negotiated two-State solution. It

remains vital that all actions or policies that impede

that prospect be avoided.

While there is at least a clear vision of the difficult

compromises necessary to achieve a lasting peace

between the peoples of Israel and Palestine, the situation

in neighbouring Syria appears at the moment to present

an even greater challenge. Over the past three and a

half years, almost 200,000 people have lost their lives

at the hands of the State and militant groups in that

vicious conflict. Ultimately, the solution to Syria’s

civil war is not a military one. I strenuously urge all in

the international community to fully support Special

Envoy De Mistura in his efforts to promote a political

settlement based on the principles of the Geneva

communiqué of 30 June 2012. The flagrant violation of

international law by all sides in the Syrian conflict must

be confronted and referred to the International Criminal

Court. All sides, particularly the Al-Assad regime, must

comply with their obligations under Security Council

resolutions 2165 (2014) and 2139 (2014), and put an

end to their obstruction of vital humanitarian efforts

and to obscenities such as besieging communities and

attempting to starve them into submission.

The growth of the extremism we are now witnessing

across the region is a cause for significant concern and

one that I know is shared by everyone in the Assembly.

The bloodlust and inhumanity that the Islamic State in

Iraq and the Sham (ISIS) is displaying in those countries

has shocked and appalled all civilized people. The

destruction and displacement of the ancient Christian

communities of northern Iraq has been harrowing to

witness. The gratuitous and almost casual approach

to that most gruesome form of murder, beheading; the

barbaric sexual violence perpetrated against women and

girls; the base corruptness of putting military weapons

in the hands of children; the scapegoating of people

based on their ethnicity or religion, whether Christian,

Yazidi, Kurdish, Sunni, Shia or Jewish — all of that,

taken together, harks back to a mentality and a culture

we thought had long been consigned to the dustbin of

history. The rise of ISIS, the continued activities of

Al-Qaida and the growing strength of Boko Haram

make it clear that there is no room for complacency

in the international community when it comes to the

growth of extremism. We must unite and mobilize to

confront this threat, and we must do so with a real sense

of urgency.

Ukraine is the most dangerous political crisis to

occur in Europe for several decades. The situation

there has profound implications for the viability and

future of an international system that upholds the rule

of law. The actions of the Russian Federation, first in

Crimea and then in eastern Ukraine, clearly contravene

a wide range of international agreements. We should

remember first and foremost the deplorable violence

that has been inflicted on innocent civilians in Ukraine

over many months and the serious humanitarian crisis

that has ensued. There can be no military solution to

this crisis. We firmly support the path of diplomatic

dialogue and welcome President Poroshenko’s peace

plan. We were encouraged by the Minsk agreement

reached earlier this month within the framework of

the Trilateral Contact Group. A sustainable political

solution must be based on the principle of respect for

Ukraine’s sovereignty and with clear guarantees on

border security, the disarmament of all illegal groups

and the withdrawal of foreign forces.

Ireland has a proud tradition of involvement in

United Nations peacekeeping missions all over the

world, beginning in 1958. Our troops have made an

important contribution to international peace and

stability; 82 of them have made the ultimate sacrifice. I

take this opportunity to recall and salute all those who

have fallen in United Nations peacekeeping operations

since we met for the general debate a year ago. Today,

some 370 Irish men and women are serving on United

Nations peacekeeping missions, the majority in the

Middle East. The environment in which they serve

has become increasingly complex and challenging. As

it is for the Department for Peacekeeping Operations,

the safety and security of our personnel is a very high

priority for us, and I warmly welcome the Secretary-

General’s announcement that there will be a review of

United Nations peacekeeping. That should ensure that

the Organization retains the capacity to promote peace

and stability internationally.

The Assembly can rest assured that Irish men

and women will continue to wear the blue beret with

pride in service of the United Nations and in pursuit

of a better world. Last week, at the high-level meeting

on peacekeeping hosted by the Secretary-General and

Vice-President Biden of the United States, I was pleased

to announce an initiative by my Government to deliver

a new programme for training African peacekeepers

that will include a specific focus on areas such as the

protection of civilians, gender sensitivity, human rights,

leadership training and logistics.

The full and equal participation of women is

another essential component in building peaceful,

stable societies. Women are key agents of change

and must be full protagonists in our ongoing global

story. Political will is a crucial element in driving

women’s empowerment and gender equality going

forward. Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) was

a milestone in recognizing that reality, and subsequent

resolutions, most recently resolution 2122 (2013),

demonstrate our resolve to pursue the goal of women’s

full and empowered participation in the political

process. The current agenda of the United Nations

includes a welcome and necessary increase in the focus

on tackling the scourge of sexual violence in armed

conflict.

But we must translate our global commitment into

concrete action. Achieving real gender equality requires

a commitment from all of us here, men and women. It

is a commitment that Ireland is proud to have made,

and next January we launch our second national action

plan on women, peace and security. It is just part of our

ongoing commitment to ensuring that women and girls

can reach their full potential, live a life free from fear

and fully take their place at the decision-making table.

The global threat posed by the spread of Ebola in

West Africa is a reminder that not all the challenges we

face are man-made. Ireland is active in addressing this

epidemic in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Security Council

resolution 2177 (2014), sponsored by 130 Member

States, indicates the seriousness with which the world

regards the problem and the need for urgent action on

the part of the United Nations.

Next year, 2015, will be a critical one in the

fight to end extreme poverty and hunger. We have

15 months to maximize progress under the Millennium

Development Goals and a mere 12 in which to negotiate

a new framework for international development. That

framework must mark an important shift to sustainable

development, with clear and ambitious targets that can

help to end extreme poverty, hunger and malnutrition in

a single generation. Ireland continues to play its part at

the United Nations and with our partners on the ground.

We have focused sharply on the continuing scandals of

hunger, child stunting and maternal mortality in a world

of plenty. I am pleased that last week the Human Rights

Council adopted a draft resolution, led by Ireland, on

the preventable mortality and morbidity of children

under 5. It is indeed deplorable that some 6.6 million

children under the age of 5 die annually, mainly from

preventable and treatable causes.

Ireland is working with its partners in Africa on

the devastating impact of climate change, especially

on smallholder agriculture. Last week we joined the

Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture. On Thursday, I

co-hosted a meeting here at the United Nations in support

of the Secretary-General’s Zero Hunger Challenge.

And days earlier, in Dublin, UNICEF Ireland brought

to me the voices of Ireland’s young people, calling on

us to strengthen our efforts and reminding me, in their

words, that “It’s about us”. Ireland’s commitment to

a more equal, inclusive and sustainable future for the

world’s children is demonstrated in practice through

our development programme and our work with our

partners in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the extremely

difficult economic circumstances of recent years, we

are proud that we have stabilized funding for our aid

programme. The fight to end poverty and hunger will

remain a central tenet of our foreign policy.

Recent events worldwide have demonstrated that

human rights and fundamental freedoms continue to

be violated and threatened, particularly in times of

conflict. In many parts of the world today, brave women

and men seek to highlight and address abuses of human

rights, and to stand up for those who are oppressed or

without a voice. I salute the courage of those human

rights defenders and pledge that we in Ireland will

continue to work for decisive action, whether in the

United Nations or the European Union, in order to

support them. As a member of the Human Rights

Council, Ireland has sought to highlight the important

contribution of civil society to advancing human rights

and building democratic societies.

Last week, the Council adopted by consensus

the significant resolution 2178 (2014), led by Ireland,

calling on States to create and maintain a safe and

enabling environment in which civil society can

operate. We strongly condemn all forms of persecution

and discrimination based on religion or belief. The

persecution of Christians and other minorities in the

Middle East, and the recent rise of anti-Semitic attacks,

particularly in a number of European countries, are

causes of grave concern for me. Too often throughout

history, the world has looked the other way when

vulnerable minorities were being targeted, often as a

prelude to a more serious conflict.

On a more positive note, as a former Minister for

Children and Youth Affairs in Ireland, I felt particularly

honoured last week to ratify the third Optional Protocol

to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, reaffirming

the commitment of my Government to the protection

and promotion of the rights of children in Ireland.

In conclusion, I believe that at its most effective this

great Organization, the United Nations, is a force for

good in the world and has much untapped potential. The

undoubted achievements in areas, such as peacekeeping,

conflict resolution, development and humanitarian

action, to which Ireland is proud to contribute, should

renew our faith in our collective ability and inspire us

to meet the challenges that confront us now and many

of those that will lie ahead in the future.