Ávarp Bjarna Benediktssonar forsætisráðherra á leiðtogafundi um framtíðina í New York 22. september 2024

Mr. President, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

First of all, let me join in celebrating the conclusion of the Pact for the Future together with the Declaration on Future Generations and the Global Digital Compact. I congratulate all of those who have put gruelling hours of negotiation into finding common ground on many difficult issues.

The Pact pulls no punches in identifying the challenges before us and identifies the existential risks we face. The Pact is also upfront about saying that the crises have been caused to a large extent by our own choices.

Mr. President,

The Pact for the Future and its annexes testify to the vitality of the multilateral system with the United Nations at its core. No other organisation has the convening power of this great body. At a time of conflict between and within many member states, a successful outcome of a global summit is something to be celebrated.

The actions we have committed to take do not always go as far as we would have liked. But there is much to celebrate where we have managed to find common ground. Among the 56 actions agreed, we have revitalised our commitments under the sustainable development goals. We have agreed on a range of actions to close the SDG financing gap in developing countries, including strengthening efforts to prevent and combat illicit financial flows, corruption and money laundering. We commit to maintaining the world trading system as a rules-based multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core.

The actions agreed on eradicating poverty by investing in human capital with an emphasis on leaving no one behind are integral to our efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda. Development cooperation has a central role to play in this regard, and we welcome the emphasis on strengthening the United Nations development system.

Importantly, we have underlined the central place of human rights in just, peaceful and inclusive societies. We have committed to respecting and protecting all human rights and fundamental freedoms and to promoting the rule of law at all levels. In this regard, it would be remiss of me not to mention the importance of protecting the rights of L.G.B.T.I.+ communities that, in many places, are suffering from a backlash.

I am particularly happy that we were able to agree that achieving full human potential and sustainable development is not possible if women and girls are denied full human rights and opportunities. Ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights is vital in this regard, and eradicating gender-based violence remains a pressing concern.

Iceland is particularly happy that we were able to agree on ambitious action on the health and resilience of the oceans and their ecosystems. Healthy oceans are essential to a healthy planet and to the achievement of the SDGs.

Mr. President,

At this time of multiple conflicts, we have also reaffirmed our commitment to act in accordance with international law, including the UN Charter. And we condemn in the strongest terms the devastating impact of armed conflict on civilians.

Here Mr. President, I pause… I must admit. Because if we are to regain the trust lost amongst us, it will not be enough simply to reiterate our commitments, for example, to Article 2.4 of the UN Charter on refraining from the use of force against the territorial integrity of another state – reiterating this commitment is not enough. All member states must abide by it.

And this goes for all our actions and commitments – they must be implemented – the work should start immediately.