Ávarp á hliðarviðburði um Belarús á allsherjarþingi Sameinuðu þjóðanna

Ministers, dear friends.

It is a pleasure to be here with you this afternoon.

The determination and courage by those who oppose the Lukashenko regime and fight for the freedom and independence of Belarus is an inspiration to all of us.  

Keeping Belarus high on our agenda is absolutely critical.

This was important back in 2020, following Lukashenko’s violent clampdown on protesters following the fraudulent elections, and has only grown in importance ever since.

I think the question about the international response to the situation in Belarus is extremely relevant for us to contemplate here in New York today.

This is the heart of the international system—the United Nations are both the foundation and the pinnacle of the efforts to unite the world around a few simple but crucial ideas.

One of these ideas was the realization by the countries of the world—not least the countries of Europe, after the second World War—that serious deterioration in the democratic rights of citizens was not only an internal matter. When people's rights are being supressed in one country it has the potential to cause not only disruptions for other countries, but it can be a real threat to their security.

This is why the protection of human rights are no longer considered to be national issues, but a part of the tapestry of international commitments that the countries of the world have determined to hold each other accountable for maintaining.

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Dear friends

The president of Russia, a man wanted for the war crime of stealing children - and his sidekick, the man claiming the presidency of Belarus, Lukashenko—share the objective to quell democracy, justice, and individual freedoms for their people. They offer a future of repression and stagnation, rather than modernization and prosperity.

This is the same vision as Putin has for Ukraine, and if that vision prevails over the peoples of more and more countries—the risk for global conflict based on big power politics becomes increasingly real. This would be bad news for all of us.

Once again—the plight of those who suffer should not be ignored by those who are fortunate enough to enjoy better conditions. We need to show solidarity.

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At the same time, we should not underestimate the power of Belarusian democratic forces and civil society. 

It came perhaps as a surprise to the outside world how forceful the movement against Lukashenka was following the elections of 2020. The fact that it could only be halted by violent crack-down truly uncovered the flaws of the regime´s autocratic system. 

It demonstrated that a large majority of the people of Belarus have already chosen the direction way they want to go – and it is surely not the way of Lukashenka and Putin.

For Belarusians to realize the goal of a free, democratic, and truly sovereign Belarus, the international community needs to stand behind the forces fighting for that goal.

It is my deep personal ambition that my country does what it can in this regard. If the dream of a free Belarus is realized, it will be a major and significant victory not only for the people of Belarus, not only for the forces fighting in the name of a democratic Belarus - but for all those who believe that every human being deserves the opportunity to live a life of freedom and dignity.

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I would like to thank the sponsors for organizing this event and allowing me to speak. I look forward to listening to the deliberations today.

Thank you.