Today, I have the honour to speak on behalf of the five Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
Terrorism continues to threaten innocent people around the world. Terrorism must never be tolerated and can never be justified. Terrorism can be effectively countered only by apply…
Let me first thank you, Mr. President, for convening today’s meeting. My special thanks go to Mr. Jean-Max Bellerive, Prime Minister of Haiti, for being here and addressing the Council today.
The earthquake in Haiti was a humanitarian disaster striking a people living in extreme poverty and distres…
As the crisis appears to be gradually receding, we possess new knowledge about the capacity of our institutions and the limited policy space prevailing in a large number of countries. Mobilizing resources for development is primarily each and every country’s own responsibility, and developed countri…
Afghanization is increasingly the mantra of our support for Afghanistan. Rather than being a euphemism for exit, it underlines the importance of an Afghan-led process that is responsible, inclusive and transparent and promotes the fundamental rights of the Afghan people. This is of great importance …
While international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians in armed conflict are key issues of human dignity and of utmost importance to Norway, at a time when we see that the right of civilians to protection under international humanitarian law is under increasing pressure due to the natu…
Let me start by emphasizing that the international community has a common desire for improved security, political stability and development for the people of Afghanistan. We all share that goal, and we also agree that a joint political strategy is the only way to bring about a sustainable peace in A…
An integrated and long- term approach to the fight against international terrorism must strike a balance between preventive and combative measures. If we fail to take a long-term perspective in our fight against terrorist groups today, we may face new, stronger terrorist groups, with greater popular…
Ten years ago I signed the Millennium Declaration (resolution 55/2) here in New York together with other world leaders. We promised to improve the livelihoods of millions of people all over the globe. For the first time world
leaders made concrete commitments to reduce poverty and provide access to…
Let me join other speakers in expressing my profound sympathies to the people and Government of Pakistan for the human suffering and tragic loss of life caused by this devastating flood. Norway enjoys close people-to-people relations with Pakistan. Many Norwegians whose roots are in Pakistan are now…
Why are humanitarian workers being killed, when all they want to do is to help? Why are they denied access to people in desperate need, when all they want to do is to relieve suffering? And why are we, the international community and national Governments, unable or unwilling to invest in disaster pr…
Once again, the situation in the Middle East calls for close attention. As the Security Council heard in the briefing by the Assistant Secretary-General on 24 November, political efforts towards a negotiated two-State solution have reached a deep and worrying impasse. The Assistant Secretary-General…
It is my pleasure to speak on behalf of the Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
Support for countries emerging from violent conflict and the prevention of relapse into conflict is a key international responsibility. Upon establishing the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), t…
I would like to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ould Abdallah, for his important presentation here today and for the work he is doing under difficult circumstances. I am also pleased to see my colleague, the Permanent Representative of Somalia, participating in our mee…
Eight years have passed since the Taliban were defeated and the reconstruction of Afghanistan began. There have been positive developments, particularly in the socio-economic field. But many Afghans are becoming impatient and say that too little is happening, too late. The deteriorating security sit…
The significance of the decision we have just debated goes far beyond the Gaza conflict. It is about our responsibility to protect vulnerable groups in armed conflict. It is about restoring the role of international humanitarian law and the importance of full respect for fundamental principles that …
Let me start by expressing Norway’s full and continuing support for the International Criminal Court (ICC) and our recognition of the Court’s work over the past year. We welcome the ICC’s fifth annual report (A/64/356) and would like to thank the President of the Court, Judge Sang-Hyun Song, for his…
It was truly heartening to listen to the speaker before me, the representative of Zambia, and I must commend that country for its achievements in pursuing the health-related Millennium Development Goals in particular.
As a friend and partner, Norway continues to support the vision and goals of the …
Deplorably, in recent years we have seen too many instances of the lack of effective protection for vulnerable groups in armed conflict. We have seen too many victims, including children, women and innocent bystanders. We have seen parties to armed conflicts acting in ways that we cannot accept and …
The Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) marked a watershed moment in that reproductive health and rights became an essential priority of development. Fifteen years after the adoption of the ICPD Programme of Action (see A/CONF.171/13/Rev.1), we note that there has bee…
I start by expressing Norway’s continuing support for, and full recognition of, the achievements and high standards of the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the Former Yugoslavia, as reflected in the Tribunals’ well- reasoned judgements and the annual reports before us. We thank the Pr…