Delivered by: Ms. Myan Tantawy, Political Coordinator
Madame President,
At the outset, the United Arab Emirates aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement.
We thank the Co-Chairs of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Revitalization in the 79th session for their valuable stewardship towards the adoption of resolution 79/327 by consensus.
Madame President,
As we prepare for another session of engagement on this important topic, and as we consider the UN80 Initiative for a more efficient and effective UN, allow me to highlight three main points:
First, the relationship between the General Assembly and the Security Council should be further strengthened, including in matters of international peace and security.
Several developments deserve to be retained and built upon. These include: the “veto initiative” established by resolution 76/262; the annual plenary debate on the use of the veto; as well as the January meeting for Member States and observers to present views on the Security Council’s annual report.
Equally important is the selection process of the Secretary-General – which brings me to my second point. As we approach the first stage of this process before the end of the year, the two organs should continue to work in accordance with the UN Charter, relevant General Assembly resolutions and the post-2015 transparent and inclusive practice.
Looking ahead, we encourage the General Assembly to articulate the leadership profile and competencies it seeks in the next Secretary-General. This role demands vision, integrity and impartiality. And as our challenges compound, the next Secretary-General will need to affirm the UN’s role in conflict prevention and resolution, and uphold the Organization’s purposes and principles.
This must be complemented by the Secretary-General’s leadership team, which will be critical in her or his success. Equal and fair distribution of the executive heads in terms of merit, as well as gender and geographic balance, would bolster the Secretary-General’s efforts. I also underscore that our commitment to inclusivity, and increasing female representation across the UN system, includes selecting the UN’s first Madame Secretary-General.
Third, the UAE reaffirms the continued importance of multilingualism as a core value of the UN. In particular, we emphasize the importance of issuing all documents on time, in all official languages, including Arabic.
Madame President,
The UAE continues to see the relevance of further discussions to revitalize the General Assembly, including efforts in the Main Committees as well as the General Committee, and will remain engaged to this end.
Thank you, Madame President.