Switzerland, 2011

How

can we shape development policy that is of benefit to

all? The per capita gross domestic product of

Switzerland is 130 times higher than that of a country

such as Mozambique. Why do the poorest countries

benefit so little from globalization, and what can we do

to change this? One-quarter of the world’s population

consumes three-quarters of the available raw materials.

How can we ensure that nearly 7 billion individuals

have enough water, food and energy at affordable

prices? And what happened to equity and social justice

in the twenty-first century?

It is up to us together to find the answers to these

questions. That will require us to have a sense of

responsibility and to be ready to reflect together on

norms, values and priorities.

More than any other international organization,

the United Nations has the potential and the necessary

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conditions to support States in these efforts. Since its

founding, the United Nations has developed into a

dense institutional network. International governance

remains fragmented and inefficient. Governance

structures need to be strengthened if the United

Nations is to succeed as the driving force towards

sustainable development.

Events in the Arab world have been a reminder

that democracy and sustainable development go hand

in hand. Indeed, it was ultimately the lack of political

freedom, combined with injustice and a lack of

economic prospects, that unleashed the fundamental

changes that have so surprised us. Many nations are

facing difficult changes today and the fact that

relations among States and between the region and the

rest of the world need to be based on new principles.

This is a challenge to the countries themselves and to

the new social groups driving the change: youth,

women, the emerging middle classes and civil society

as a whole. But it is also a challenge to the countries

and Governments of the region, as well as for us all as

Members of the United Nations.

We must do our best to ensure that effective aid is

provided quickly to the victims of unrest and violence.

We must ensure that security and the rule of law are

strengthened. We must contribute to inclusive political

dialogue, promoting national reconciliation and

legitimate efforts to create new constitutions. We must

extend the authority of State institutions and restore

public services. We must help to protect the human

rights of all and support transitional justice. We must

also support immediate economic recovery measures.

Only through such a wide-ranging programme, backed

by an international community in which each member

is ready to make a constructive contribution, will it be

possible to create more favourable conditions for

sustainable development.

I note with regret that the spirit of optimism

borne of the Arab Spring has not breathed new life into

the Middle East peace process. We remember the

words of President Obama before the General

Assembly a year ago well — words that encouraged us

to hope for change. For a few minutes, we dreamed

together of

“the young girl in Gaza who wants to have no

ceiling on her dreams or the young boy in Sderot

who wants to sleep without the nightmare of

rocket fire” (A/65/PV.11, p. 12).

We entertained the hope that, together with Palestine

and Israel, we could succeed in reaching an agreement

that would allow us to welcome a new Member to the

United Nations — a sovereign and independent

Palestine, living side by side in peace with Israel.

Somberly, we note instead that the past year has

been a year of deadlock with no progress but

stagnation, and even a hardening of positions. For

more than 60 years, the international community has

failed to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The

so-called peace process has replaced peace. In order to

return peace to the centre of the stage, influential

people on both sides have attempted to implement a

tangible and lasting vision. We gave them our support

and facilitated a model agreement. The Geneva

initiative is today a consolidated, detailed proposal

compatible with internationally accepted parameters,

including the Arab Peace Initiative. It remains at the

disposal of the decision-makers, as well as of the

populations whose right it is to demand peace.

Preventing future wars was the goal of the

founding of the United Nations. Today, it remains

among the noblest objectives of this Organization. The

past two decades have shown that the international

community has every interest in finding ways to

strengthen its efforts in the area of mediation. Indeed,

it is in a negotiated solution rather than military victory

that a lasting solution will be found for the majority of

conflicts.

The Security Council plays an important role in

the prevention of conflicts. Switzerland would

welcome a stronger and more lasting commitment to

preventive diplomacy on the part of the Security

Council. If the Security Council is to be able to make a

worthwhile contribution to peace and security, it must

adapt to new realities and reflect the new political

balance of power of the twenty-first century. I should

also like it to be more transparent and open and to

fulfil its duty of remaining accountable to the Member

States.

Ultimately, the decisions of the Security Council

have a direct impact on all States in ways that are

legally binding. That is why Switzerland advocates,

along with its partners in the so-called small five

group, improvement of the Council’s working methods.

The small five’s proposals are practical and concrete.

They can be implemented immediately without any

need to amend the United Nations Charter.

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However, the United Nations will be truly

strengthened only if those countries that rightly insist

on having greater participation also show themselves

ready to accept greater responsibility for the

Organization’s proper functioning and its financial

situation.

The United Nations is unique in being the only

Organization that offers all the countries of the world

the opportunity to join together to address the whole

range of international challenges to peace and security,

ranging from the protection of human rights to

sustainable development. Switzerland is ready to

contribute, and we look forward to working together

with the new President of the General Assembly,

Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, whom I congratulate

on his election and offer the full support of my country

during this sixty-sixth session of the Assembly.