Italy, 2013

With an end to the global crisis

finally within reach, it is imperative to make growth

and development our first priority today. In the past

10 years, remarkable progress on the Millennium

Development Goals (MDGs) has been made. But we

have to work harder. We need to empower individuals

and communities and increase the capacity of economic

and social systems to adapt to the rapid changes of our

complex world.

With regard to the post-2015 development agenda,

we should address the root causes of the ills afflicting

our world rather than limit ourselves to the side effects.

Sustainable development, in line with the outcomes

of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable

Development, is the best possible antidote. In that

conviction, Italy co-facilitated the establishment of the

High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development,

with universal membership. We are also in favour of

reinforcing the Economic and Social Council and of

a partial reform of the United Nations Environment

Programme.

The promotion of sustainable development goes

hand in hand with the spread of democratic principles.

We are in favour of the convergence of the sustainable

development goals and the MDGs after 2015. But

development cannot be simply reduced to economic

growth and statistics. We must go beyond gross

domestic product and pay adequate attention to the

more comprehensive notion of “quality of life”.

Special attention should be paid to the role of

women’s rights and gender equality. Although women

cultivate more than half the food grown in the world, they

represent two thirds of the people who live in poverty

and suffer from hunger. More female participation in

the global economy means more equality and growth.

As the Secretary-General’s report on the work of

the Organization (A/68/1) notes, in the past 13 years

gains have been made in the fight against poverty,

but despite these tangible improvements one in eight

persons worldwide still suffers from malnutrition. Food

security should be a priority area of action. It combines

the need to act locally and globally. It incorporates

some of today’s most crucial issues: a sustainable

relationship between consumption and production,

energy efficiency, and more.

Italy is making a specific contribution to the issue

of food security through Expo 2015 in Milan. The theme

is “Feeding the planet: energy for life”. More than 130

countries have so far agreed to participate. Italy will

use Expo Milan as an opportunity to exchange best

practices on global sustainability in the area of food

security and nutrition. We intend to promote new

partnerships between the private and public sectors. As

I underlined to the heads of the United Nations agencies

based in Rome at a recent meeting, Italy feels that the

time has come to launch a new global initiative on

food. The United Nations participation in Expo 2015

is consequently of great importance. An integrated

approach to development also involves a focus on its

social dimensions.

The projected rise of the world population highlights

one of the most serious problems today. I am referring

to global unemployment, particularly among young

people. This phenomenon affects every part of the world,

including Europe and my country. We want to combine

the measures taken at the national and European levels

to launch our war against unemployment.

Italy deems it important to focus on small and

medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), a true driver for

employment. Such enterprises are well placed to create

jobs for young people and contribute to social stability.

In Europe, 85 per cent of new jobs in the private sector

are created by SMEs. In the employment sector, great

attention must also be given to people with disabilities.

Hundreds of millions of people around the world

become immigrants in a phenomenon that affects

both developed nations and countries of origin. Italy’s

geographic location makes it a port of entry for thousands

of immigrants. At the national level, we respect the

fundamental human rights of immigrants and prosecute

criminals who engage in human trafficking. At the

same time, we have fostered international cooperation

with the countries of origin and of transit.

On this crucial subject, I wish to quote Pope Francis,

who decided to visit the small island of Lampedusa

this summer. He brought a message of support for the

thousands of immigrants who arrive there from Africa

every year. We should all fight what he called the

“globalization of indifference” and feel the suffering of

migrants as our own.

Recognizing that more needs to be done at the

national and international levels, we look forward

to the second summit of the High-level Dialogue on

International Migration and Development, to be held in

New York this October.

Achieving sustainable development requires

stability, security and peace. Since the outbreak of

the conflict in Syria, the Italian Government has

underlined the importance of preserving the role of the

United Nations as the ultimate guardian of peace. At the

same time, we strongly condemn what has taken place

in Syria with regard to chemical weapons. We cannot

be indifferent to blatant violations of fundamental

international rights.

Italy invites all members of the Security Council

and other relevant international stakeholders to spare

no effort in the search for political solutions. That is

why the Italian Government welcomed the Geneva

framework for the elimination of Syrian chemical

weapons. We strongly support the work undertaken

in the Security Council aimed at inducing Syria to

participate in the Chemical Weapons Convention.

We cannot accept the continuous deterioration of

the humanitarian situation in Syria and in neighbouring

countries. Once again, we invite all the parties

involved in the conflict to fully respect international

humanitarian law. There must be effective protection

for humanitarian assistance.

Italy has intensified humanitarian assistance,

particularly for refugees. Italy confirms its pledge

of $30 million for 2013 and intends to provide even

more support to expand the reach of humanitarian

assistance. At the Group of 20 Summit held in Saint

Petersburg, we announced our intention to implement

new humanitarian and emergency initiatives, for an

additional $50 million. On Friday, upon my return to

Rome, I will enact that measure.

We will continue to keep Somalia high on our

agenda. As I confirmed to President Hassan Sheikh

Mohamud a few days ago in Rome, Italy is willing to

help the Somali authorities in their efforts to lay the

foundations of an effective and united federal State.

Together with Ethiopia, Italy has convened a ministerial

meeting of the Intergovernmental Authority on

Development Partners Forum tomorrow, 26 September,

here in New York, to discuss Somalia.

As the top contributor to Libya, Italy is supporting

the country in its stabilization and democratic transition,

and we remain fully committed to cooperation with the

United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

Before the end of the year, Italy will host the second

international conference on Libya in Rome, which we

are preparing together with the Libyan authorities,

UNSMIL and other partners.

Italy reiterates its strong commitment to the

stabilization of Mali and the Sahel region. At the

national level, we are currently funding training for

border police in Mali and the Niger. We welcome the

holding of the next high-level meeting on the Sahel.

The strategy presented by the Special Envoy of the

Secretary-General, Romano Prodi, is a good example

of increasing efforts and resources.

Italy is the seventh-largest contributor to the general

budget of the United Nations. Since 2006, despite

financial constraints, we have been the top contributor

of United Nations peacekeepers among Western

countries. We are demonstrating our commitment

to peace and stability through our participation in

10 different United Nations peacekeeping missions

worldwide, from the Mediterranean and the Middle

East to Africa and Afghanistan.

Italy is engaged in international initiatives

related to peace and security, such as the Arms Trade

Treaty, which we have already ratified. Other relevant

initiatives include the United Nations Global Counter-

Terrorism Strategy and the United Nations Convention

against Transnational Organized Crime.

Italy believes that respect for human rights is

fundamental to peaceful coexistence among nations.

Our foreign policy will continue to focus on social

and humanitarian affairs and the protection of human

rights. Wherever human rights are at risk, global peace

and security are also at risk.

Italy will continue its efforts to better defend those

most vulnerable to violence and discrimination. Our

actions and our thoughts must focus on the categories

most at risk: women, children, religious and ethnic

minorities, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender

persons, human rights defenders and humanitarian

workers.

The recent atrocities in Pakistan once again

illustrate the importance of the issue of religious

tolerance. The General Assembly should never stop

acting to counter religious hatred and fundamentalism.

At the same time, Italy will continue to support

the campaign for a worldwide moratorium on the death

penalty.

In the second half of 2014, Italy will assume the

presidency of the European Union (EU). We want the

EU to be more open to the world. That means more

European foreign, or rather global, policy. It also means

more trade exchanges with the rest of the world. In that

connection, we will host the next summit of the Asia-

Europe Meeting, in Milan in October 2014.

I am convinced that a well-governed Europe

can act as a global player. A good example is the EU

enlargement policy, which succeeded in bringing

stability to the Balkans in a very short time. It is high

time for the EU to rise again to assume a leading role

on the world stage. We in Europe must act now for more

unity and for more effective governance.

On the theme of adapting to a changing world, allow

me to conclude by referring to reform of the Security

Council. As a leading member of the Uniting for

Consensus group, Italy strongly believes that Security

Council reform is absolutely necessary. The adoption of

any such reform, however, will require the consensus of

a large majority of the membership. We need to update

the Security Council to today’s world, increasing its

accountability, transparency and effectiveness. To

bridge the gap between the different models of reform,

all Member States should be ready to engage in the next

round of negotiations with a higher degree of flexibility

and openness to compromise.

We have many challenges ahead. Italy will

contribute to addressing those challenges as an active

member of the international community within a

framework of reinforced global governance. We make

that commitment before the General Assembly, and

we make that commitment before the international

community.