Monaco, 2009

My

participation in this general debate, like that of more

than 100 heads of State and Government, confirms

both the seriousness of the choices we must make in

the face of the challenges confronting our States and

the unavoidable role of the United Nations in deciding

on the future of our planet and its inhabitants.

More than ever before, the General Assembly

must be the “centre for harmonizing the actions of

nations” in the attainment of the common ends defined

in Article 1 of the Charter. To remain the vital centre,

the Organization and its most representative body of

the community of nations — our General Assembly —

must better take into consideration the interdependence

that links our destinies and the opportunity presented to

our sovereign States to bestow upon our fellow

countrymen a common vision marked by moral values.

The financial storm that swept through the world

a year ago has caused too much suffering and too much

harm to the global economy, at a time in our history

when we are confronted with the major challenges of

the climate crisis and the implementation of the

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), for us not to

draw obvious conclusions.

A year from now, we will meet again in this same

forum to take stock of the progress we have made in

the implementation of the Millennium Development

Goals (MDGs). The 2015 deadline — which already

seemed compromised on the eve of this

multidimensional crisis — requires that we define a

global vision for the future of humankind. Some will

call it solidarity or moral awareness. Whatever the

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name, we need to clearly define and implement the

MDGs to meet the basic needs of all human beings.

If poverty eradication is to remain our priority,

we will have to get busy on fulfilling our obligations,

for the most destitute are also the ones who are hungry,

who suffer from malnutrition and who lack access to

water and to basic social and health services. Among

the main victims are women and children, 25,000 of

whom die each day, according to UNICEF.

Several hundred thousand people today benefit

from actions undertaken by my country in the

framework of its international cooperation in the fields

of health, education and the fight against poverty. This

is why I requested that we continue our effort to

contribute 0.7 per cent of our GDP by 2015 to official

development assistance. This assistance must not be

sacrificed because of the present economic and

financial situation. On the contrary, it must be

strengthened at a time when the most vulnerable are

the ones who need it the most. This development

assistance must be accompanied by long-term

investments aimed at strengthening the capacity-

building of developing countries, in particular through

the transfer of appropriate technologies with a view to

respecting the requirements of sustainable

development.

From this perspective, and in the light of the

recent food crisis, the time is right to restore

agriculture to its proper place, because food security

depends on it. Today, it is up to us to forge for future

generations a new destiny, “a new deal”. We must

move from being donors to become partners in a green

revolution in Africa, where food-producing agriculture

adapted to the specific conditions of the continent must

empower the local populations.

The restoration of agriculture to the heart of our

civilization also raises the crucial issue of water.

Whether regarding access to it for the survival of our

populations, for farming or for energy production, it is

imperative to guarantee water security. Therefore, an

integrated management of water resources is needed.

We must be aware of the potential disasters and

conflicts that would arise if we failed, and of risks

linked to poor sanitation that could cause outbreaks of

infectious diseases and pandemics.

The phenomena of desertification and drought, as

well as the acidification of seas and oceans, are

exacerbated by man-made climatic change. This is why

failure of the Copenhagen negotiations is not an option.

My commitment, and that of my worldwide

counterparts, as stated yesterday in the framework of

the climate change summit convened by the Secretary-

General, is unequivocal: we must, together —

developed countries, countries with high carbon

dioxide emissions and developing countries — succeed

in defining a post-Kyoto regime that will be decidedly

in line with a low-carbon-emission future.

For too long, we have neglected the scientific

warnings. More than 20 years ago, the

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was

created by the World Meteorological Organization.

During the third World Climate Conference at the

beginning of September which, with great pleasure, I

attended, it was decided to establish a Global

Framework for Climate Services, with a view to

helping populations meet this increasingly pressing

challenge.

This Global Framework, which we fully support,

aims at improving the management of the risks of

climate fluctuations and climate change as well as

adaptation to climate change at all levels, through

development and the incorporation of science-based

information and forecasting into policies and planning.

The unparalleled mobilization of public opinion

compels us to adopt innovative measures to slow

global warming, whose consequences could be

catastrophic.

The Trade and Development Report recommends

deep structural changes, which will not happen unless

we are willing to challenge our patterns of production

and consumption. The setting up of a green economy

must be the basis of such a process. Our role, as

political decision makers, is to ensure that the

necessary technology — which already exists — is put

to use to reduce greenhouse gases. Sustainable

development requires the globalization of green

technologies and environmental assets.

On behalf of the Principality, I reiterate our stated

ambition to become carbon neutral and our resolve to

reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by

2020 and by 60 per cent by 2050.

During these past few months, the world

economy has been sorely tried and tested. Signs of

recovery are beginning to show, but we must draw

lessons from this grim year. The globalization of the

economy and the resulting interdependence require

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reform of the international monetary and financial

system.

Created 10 years ago, the Group of 20 (G-20) met

for the first time at the level of heads of State or

Government last November, thereby acknowledging

the urgency of adopting measures to save the world

economy from a disaster worsened by the panic

reigning in the financial markets. Monaco

acknowledges that this group, which represents two

thirds of the world’s population and trade and close to

90 per cent of the world gross domestic product, bears

special responsibility vis-à-vis the rest of the

international community.

We are confident of the capacity of the G-20,

tomorrow in Pittsburgh, to lay the foundations for a

new era encompassing, inter alia, financial regulation,

financial traders’ income, governance and resources

allocated to international financial institutions. The

G-20’s ability to bring together all States will give rise

to the legitimacy necessary for renewed growth.

For several months, my Government has been

working to fulfil the commitments it undertook and to

comply with the required norms of the Organization for

Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with

a view to improve transparency and exchanges of fiscal

and banking information. That is why my Government

has already signed 12 bilateral conventions and has

undertaken to conclude other agreements in this area.

As of today, Monaco has had its efforts acknowledged

by the OECD and will thus now be included on its

White List.

But let us make no mistake: the breach of trust

resulting from the financial disaster has made it more

necessary than ever before that the measures taken by

the G-20 be non-discriminatory and bring together all

Member States. A consultative body would thus ensure

the legitimacy of any decisions made.

We must, together, rebuild solid foundations for a

capitalism with a human face that promotes growth and

social development. Current circumstances have

provided us the opportunity to create a green economy,

one which associates job creation with the transfer of

new technologies which will enable us to achieve a

sustained recovery.

The State must continuously adapt its role and the

expression of its sovereignty to new realities in order

to remain the guarantor of the security and social well-

being of populations. The United Nations cannot avoid

this either. Since its creation, the Organization has

worked for the maintenance of international peace and

security through operations led under its flag. It has

also played a prominent federative role in the field of

disarmament and non-proliferation.

Human and material resources available to

peacekeeping operations have reached levels that

would have not been conceivable only a decade ago.

The necessary consideration of this matter initiated

within the Security Council and the Secretariat, as well

as with Member States, is a priority and we support it.

What is just as important is the strengthening of

the rule of law and of democratic institutions,

guardians of sovereignty and the peaceful coexistence

of States. In this respect, I wish to reiterate the support

of my country for the implementation of the

responsibility to protect, which is symbolic of the

strengthening of multilateralism for the good of

populations. The responsibility to protect does not

affect the exercise of responsible sovereignty, which

places the individual at the forefront. Monaco will

continue to work with its partners — that is, each and

every one in this Hall — to implement best practices in

the field of protection, international assistance and

capacity-building, with the sole objective of saving

lives.

The Principality will keep responding, in

solidarity, to emergency humanitarian situations,

especially when it comes to assisting women and

children, whose vulnerability in crisis situations,

unfortunately, no longer needs to be demonstrated.

In 2010, we will celebrate the International Year

for the Rapprochement of Cultures and the

International Year of Biodiversity. These themes

symbolize, at the outset of the twenty-first century, the

harmony that we must seek both among our people —

with acceptance of our differences — and between the

human species and the other living species on Earth,

which we have the duty to protect and save from

extinction.

I can assure the Assembly that my country will

continue to tirelessly commit itself to processes likely

to build and strengthen the ties between our societies in

order to promote dialogue and cultural and religious

understanding based on mutual respect, such as the

Union for the Mediterranean and the Alliance of

Civilizations.

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I am convinced that the President’s great

experience at the United Nations and his role in the

creation of the African Union are great pluses for the

success of his very sensitive mission.