Suriname, 2025

The assembly will now hear an address by Excellency Jennifer Killings-Simons, the President of the Republic of Suriname. I request the protocol to escort Excellency and invite her to address the assembly. Madam President, we are here to commemorate this special moment in history as we celebrate the United Nations 80th anniversary. This 80th anniversary of the General Assembly coincides with the 50th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Suriname and our membership of this organization. On behalf of the government and the people of the Republic of Suriname, I express sincere congratulations to the international community on this occasion. It is clear that a journey that spans over 80 years cannot be and has not been without challenges. The United Nations played, in some instances, an important role in ending colonial rule, worked on advancing human rights, and often provided hope and a future to the most vulnerable in our global community. This is also the organization that provided a voice to the global community and worked to establish a balanced world order aimed at adopting a framework for a sustainable development agenda and contributed significantly to advancing human rights, more specifically the rights of women and children. The organization promoted education for all and universal access to health care. In some instances, the peaceful resolution of conflicts was achieved, preventing misery and saving human lives. Madam President, on the other hand, we must admit that the UN, at other times, regrettably has been unsuccessful in avoiding conflicts, wars, and violations of human rights. As we look at the world today, we see that in Europe, war has returned. Elsewhere, wars are displacing millions, killing many, and threatening global security and peace. In other countries and regions, for instance in the Middle East, we have witnessed unspeakable terror at the hands of terrorist organizations. The UN was not able to prevent that. At this moment, there are increased occurrences of grave violations of human rights, and more specifically, the rights of children. For example, in Gaza, it is unbearable to even think about their suffering. Also within our own region, which is the Caribbean, we have not been spared of rising tensions. It is with heightened concern that we noted the Secretary General's recent briefing on the Security Council meeting on the situation in Haiti, mentioning that the Haitians are enduring a perfect storm of suffering. Haiti is still paying a hefty price for being the first to throw away the shackles of slavery in the region of the Caribbean. Our hearts go out to the people of Haiti. Suriname strongly reiterates its position that conflicts should primarily be resolved through dialogue. And we remind the international community that Latin America and the Caribbean are proclaimed a zone of peace. We do not want military aggression in our region. Madam President, this is the moment, on the 80th anniversary, we should reflect and ponder on the next 80 years. What do we have to change and what needs to be done differently? We all must underscore, and repeat it ceaselessly today, that the United Nations will only be successful if all nations, without exception, adhere to the resolutions we adopt. We can only keep the peace if we stop allowing that the votes of all the countries in the world can be nullified by one veto. Today, particularly, partially, because of the work done by our organization, some poor countries have developed substantially, economically and otherwise. They have become powers who can't be ignored any longer. We have to remind ourselves that the world in which the United Nations was established 80 years ago does no longer exist. The task ahead, therefore, is that we, in the first place, renew our vows, recommit to the principles and objectives of the Charter of our organization, and recognize all the voices in the world, because people from all regions should have opportunities for a dignified life. Furthermore, the UN should adjust to the world we currently live in. This means, for example, the Security Council should expand to include all nations who exert major influence in the world. Exclusion of these players will only increase the risk of conflict and obstruct the beneficial cooperation necessary for humanity to develop and prosper. It is of great importance that all economically and otherwise strong nations and countries maintain a healthy competition that promotes the scientific advancement we need for sustainable development. On the other hand, these countries need to work together to guarantee global peace, so crucial for the existence and growth of the developing states and for their own countries. In this context, Suriname endorses the inclusion of, amongst others, Brazil, India and the representation of the African continent for equal membership of the Council. Additionally, we support the CARI composition for a non-permanent rotating seat for the small island developing states and low-lying coastal countries. I would also like to remind the Member States that my country, Suriname, has presented its candidacy as a non-permanent member of the Council for the period 2043 to 2044. Madam President, the United Nations must be a genuine unity of nations. If our organization, moving forward, wants to play a crucial role in creating a prosperous future for humanity, we have no choice than to genuinely unite. All of us. Suriname stands firmly for global peace, for the rule of law and for the equal value of every human life. Considering this, Suriname once again calls for the lifting of the long-standing unjust embargo against Cuba, bringing misery to its people. Madam President, Suriname is a country with people of indigenous, Maroon, Javanese, Hindustani, Creole African, Chinese and European descent. We all live together in a mosaic of cultures and faiths. The persons from Surinamese origin living abroad are part of this mosaic of our population and can contribute to the socio-economic development of the nation. We consider this diversity a great asset. Actually, Suriname does not have diversity. Suriname is diversity. And we keep working together to protect and grow our national unity for our own well-being and as an example of harmony in this often divided world. My country also carries immense natural wealth and it is our vision to create an economy that is resilient, sustainable and inclusive. Together we strive to build this more diverse economy by developing, among others, our tourism and agricultural sectors, strengthen our educational system and work towards universal access to basic health care. Suriname has a vast tourism potential with its green and lustrous interland, many waterfalls, rapids and great rivers for relaxation as well as for unforgettable adventures, if you're inclined to that. Rich biodiversity, cultural treasures and the UNESCO-acknowledged historical city of Paramaribo. Through cooperation in the agriculture sector with our neighbours, we aim at improving food security within Suriname and the Caribbean community. My government views energy security as a strategic priority for national development, regional stability and economic resilience. With an investment of more than 10 billion US dollars for the development of our offshore oil and gas, the country is getting a new beginning, a new start that will contribute significantly to our economic growth. However, we know oil and gas revenue should not be the sole fundament of our economic development, hence we need investments in relevant sectors in our country. We are steadily advancing our energy transition. While we already source about 50% of our energy needs through hydropower, we are moving toward natural gas and other forms of renewable energy as part of our long-term vision because we know climate change is a fact. Madam President, I firmly believe that education is the foundation upon which every prosperous society is built. We are committed to invest in our education system, our teachers, our children and youth. The future of any country depends on the talents and skills of its people. My country reaffirms strongly its commitment to upholding the rights of indigenous and tribal communities, ensuring that their livelihoods, traditions, knowledge systems are respected and preserved, and the acknowledgement of their collective land rights. Strengthening our institutions is high on our agenda. Suriname has worked tirelessly on the prevention of diseases and despite challenges, we have achieved results that we as a country can be proud of. As of June 30, 2025, Suriname has officially been declared malaria-free by the World Health Organization after 30 years of continuous fight against this disease, the first in the Amazon region to receive such a recognition. We are aware of the responsibility to remain vigilant, as government as well as the community, to ensure that these gains are sustained. This example showcases that we too can surely make a valuable contribution in combating infectious diseases. Madam President, the Caribbean community is expanding its outreach, and in this light Suriname also welcomes the recently concluded Second Africa CARICOM Summit held in the Republic of Ethiopia. This, Madam President, honors the historic, cultural, and human bonds between the regions of the Caribbean and Africa. Suriname also acknowledges the CARICOM Ten-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice, which has a full and strong endorsement. Slavery was a crime, is a crime against humanity, and we're talking about reparations, yes. We will furthermore continue to contribute with CARICOM, aiming at enhancing the organization's geopolitical influence. Despite our commitment as a country to the Paris Agreement 10 years ago, we see that the climate crisis is worsening. It's worse than we feared. Our countries have least contributed to climate change and carbon emissions, but are hit the hardest by its effects, directly impacting the livelihood and economic growth of our peoples. Suriname calls for the urgent attention of the international community to address the detrimental impact of climate change facing the small island developing states and countries with low-lying coastal areas. Our forests stand strong. More than 90% of our land is covered by rainforests, and this makes us the most forested country in the world. Your eyes have never seen so much green. Suriname is one of the three carbon-negative countries on earth. Since 1992, our forest has absorbed nearly 290 million tons of carbon, and each year we capture more than we emit, and we want to keep it that way. The protection and conservation of our forests has been a priority. It doesn't stand by default, but by design. We have been logging sustainably for decades, and did so with a sustainable tropical rainforest management system developed in Suriname, an ecological approach to forestry. Also, the indigenous and tribal communities protect the forests by their continued stewardship. We are proud of the way we did it, but pride alone does not pay the bills and does not develop the indigenous and tribal communities. We must not forget that these forests, our forests, are in competition with fast-growing resources such as gold, diamond, bauxite, and more. We will need to make difficult choices. We want to keep our forest coverage at a minimum of 90%, but we cannot do it alone. The time has come for the world's largest emitters to share this responsibility, not only with words, but with action, justice, and finance. Suriname strongly calls for global action, predictable climate finance for high-forested, low-deforestation countries, fair recognition of real carbon removals, and direct support for the communities who live in and protect these forests. Suriname, Madam President, therefore endorses the initiative of the COP30 Presidency to launch the Tropical Forests Forever facility and calls upon the international community to contribute to its success. Suriname, as mentioned previously, takes pride in being an example of peaceful coexistence, having different cultures, religions, and the traditions to live together in respect and solidarity. This is our gift to the world, the second gift, because we also have a forest that is delivering services to the whole world. This gift proves that harmony can prevail. As stated upon our admission to the United Nations in 1975, our Republic indicated our willingness to engage with the international community. My country reiterates its strong commitment to multilateralism, one of humanity's most important achievements, which needs our protection in this time of change. In closing, aggression and military force should be replaced with peaceful resolution and dialogue, because it doesn't solve problems, it creates destruction and misery. As a matter of urgency, I call on every Member State to keep the peace, protect the planet and all human rights. Suriname has shown the world that living sustainably together is possible. We are really better together. Thank you, Grantani, and may God be with you.