Next year we will celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the United
Nations. As we approach that milestone, it is good to reflect on the successes of our Organization: the extensive codification of international law, advances in combating poverty and disease, and fighting human rights abuses. We h…
With regard to Syria, Iceland welcomes the Security Council’s adoption of resolution 2165 (2014), with the aim of ensuring access for humanitarian assistance to the people in need throughout Syria. We commend the non-permanent members Australia, Jordan and Luxembourg, which relentlessy worked toward…
“The best thing is when you pass out, because then the pain stops.” That is a quote from a University student in Hama contained in a report by the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the large scale practice of torture in Syria. No one should ever have to experience anything like that.
The violat…
Road safety is important for all States alike. Iceland is pleased to have co-sponsored again this year draft resolution A/68/L.40, which is before us. We are now in the fourth year of the Decade of Action for Road Safety. We have set ambitious goals to improve road safety, thereby preventing serious…
I am making this statement on behalf of the facilitators of the intergovernmental process on strengthening and enhancing the effective functioning of the human rights treaty body system, Iceland and Tunisia.
The Secretary-General has said,
“The United Nations human rights treaty body system, which…
At the outset, I would like to express Iceland’s appreciation for the high standard of assistance provided to Member States by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, headed by the new Director, Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, including the preparation of reports and many other activities. …
More than two and a half years ago, the unrest in Syria began, with unforeseen, horrific consequences. A country is in ruins. Iceland condemns the use of chemical
weapons in Syria in the strongest possible terms. We also condemn all other violations of international humanitarian law and human right…
Once again, we have witnessed outrageous acts of terrorism against innocent people, most recently in Kenya, Iraq and Pakistan. Our thoughts go out to the victims and their families. It is the primary responsibility of all Governments to protect their citizens. A few weeks ago, the world witnessed th…
In her briefing to the Security Council earlier this month on the situation in Syria, Under-Secretary-General Valerie Amos said, “We are watching the destruction of not only a country, but also its people” (S/PV.7000, p. 2). With 100,000 people dead and millions who have fled from the violence and b…
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the members of the Group of Western
European and other States. I would like to convey our deepest condolences to the people and Government of the Republic of Bulgaria on the sad passing away of their former Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, who was …
Iceland has already aligned itself with the political declaration delivered earlier by the representative of Mexico, but in addition Iceland would like to thank the 100 delegations that supported the initiative to make gender-based violence a binding criterion for arms export in the Arms Trade Treat…
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea is, without doubt, one of the greatest achievements in the history of the Organization. The Convention, which is the first and only comprehensive treaty in this field, provides the legal framework for all uses of the oceans, as well as their superj…
On behalf of the Icelandic Government, I extend warm congratulations to our Palestinian sisters and brothers. Resolution 67/19, adopted by the General Assembly yesterday, is a major step by the international community towards fulfilling a promise made a long time ago.
It is the sincere hope of the …
It is a pleasure to be able to address the General Assembly here on this beautiful morning in New York, and I would first like to take the opportunity to congratulate you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the Assembly at its sixty-seventh session. Be assured that the Icelandic delegation w…
I am making this statement on behalf of the co-facilitators of the intergovernmental process, namely, Iceland and Indonesia. Allow me, at the outset, Mr. President, to reiterate our appreciation for the trust and honour that you have conferred upon us and our countries to facilitate such an importan…
Allow me to make a few corrections to the text contained in document A/66/L.62. These corrections reflect the text as negotiated.
In the first line of the first preambular paragraph, the words “by” and “it” should be deleted.
The third preambular paragraph should be deleted in its entirety and rep…
On 2 March 2010, the General Assembly adopted resolution 64/255, which proclaimed the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011- 2020, with the goal of stabilizing and reducing the rates of road-traffic fatalities around the world. The draft resolution before us today (A/66/L.43) follows up that resolut…
At the outset, I would like to thank the Secretariat, including the able staff of the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, for the valuable assistance provided to Member States. I would also like to thank the two coordinators, Ambassador Henrique Rodrigues Valle of Brazil and Ms. Holly…
Let me start by congratulating His Excellency Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser on his election as President of the sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly, and assuring him that he will have the fullest cooperation of the Icelandic delegation.
In recent weeks, we have witnessed the worst h…
The transatlantic slave trade is a dark chapter in Western history. Although slavery existed in ancient times, the scale of this abhorrent practice was unprecedented. For 400 years,
millions of people were subjected to abuse and deprived of their freedom and dignity. Many did not survive the diffic…
