At the same time, Israel’s brutal aggression against Gaza and the current attacks on the West Bank place shame on international institutions, which are unable to put an end to this aggression. He condemned Israel’s escalation and attacks on Lebanon, which are “pushing the region into the abyss”, and said efforts must “end the bloodshed” and begin the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to the civilians in Gaza.
Outlining other steps, he said multilateral banks need to be modernized and international institutions made more representative. He also expressed Egypt’s support for an expansion Security Council with more permanent seats, also for African countries.
On mounting climate challenges, he said efforts must be linked to adequate resources to do so, including through the Loss and Damage Fund, in addition to national plans in line with the agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In this spirit, Cairo will continue to work on development initiatives with neighbors and partners in the Nile Basin. However, Egypt remains concerned about Ethiopia’s actions in connection with the Renaissance Dam project, which do not take into account the needs of the countries living downstream.
Yet the world needs the UN to tackle a range of challenges, from cybercrime and artificial intelligence to collective security. On the latter, maintaining peace and security is the Organization’s raison d’être, he said, regretting that some global agreements, including nuclear non-proliferation treaties, are being flouted. At the same time, the Security Council has failed to stop the ongoing conflicts.
Committed to strengthening the role of the UN, he said the root causes of conflict must be addressed and efforts to truly maintain peace must be greatly strengthened. One way to resolve the outbreak crises is to strengthen state institutions so they can fill the vacuums created by political uncertainty, he added.
For its part, Egypt remains committed to working with regional and international partners to revitalize the multilateral system, he said. Despite ongoing crises and challenges, Egypt will continue to work to strengthen its human capital through a national dialogue that prioritizes human rights and democracy, and to maintaining peace and security in the region and around the world.
“Our youth will further carry this vision forward,” he said. “They are the ones who will shape their future and preserve human lives without discrimination based on race, gender or otherwise, all within the multilateral system.”
