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…
Last week, CNN ran a story of an 8-year old Liberian girl who had been gang- raped by four boys. This happened here in the United States, in Arizona, and thus aroused reaction and became global news. However, when such atrocities happen in conflict-ridden parts of Africa and elsewhere, apathy and in…
I thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to address this important issue. We also thank Under-Secretaries- General Le Roy and Malcorra and General Agwai for their important briefings. The challenges to United Nations peacekeeping must continue to be a top priority on our agenda, and we apprec…
I shall try to be brief. I think this is a good time to recall that the primary purpose of our discussion today is to prevent mass atrocities from reoccurring. Historic wrongs and past inactions cannot be undone and never will be, but we can prevent new ones. That is why the World Summit in 2005 fir…
Allow me to take up the closing remarks made by my colleague from Cuba, when he made the comparison between the problems that we face fighting global health issues and the situation we are in with regard to the financial crisis, where billions, even trillions, are raised to support a weak financial …
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the members of the Group of Western European and other States.
It is with sorrow that we mourn the passing of His Excellency Mr. Omar Bongo, late President of the Gabonese Republic. I should like to convey our deepest condolences to the Government and the peo…
Thank you, Sir, for this opportunity to speak.
The situation in Afghanistan must be judged against the depths from which that country is emerging. Honouring its commitments made at the Paris Conference last year, Norway remains fully committed to rebuilding Afghanistan. At the
Conference, Norway p…
We meet here in New York knowing that the situation in Somalia is deteriorating. This morning, we met in the Contact Group for Somalia, addressing the political process that may lead towards stability and legal authority or, if it fails, plunge Somalia even deeper into lawlessness.
Here, piracy is …
Experience tells us to be cautious about raising expectations with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But we cannot but welcome the fact that the parties seem to be engaged in serious negotiations, after Sharm el-Sheikh.
To move forward, both parties must honour their obligations under the…
Draft resolution A/63/L.29 was introduced by my colleague Ambassador Mahiga of Tanzania on 17 November. Since then, our two delegations have held constructive consultations with Member States and I am pleased about the recent news regarding the increasing number of sponsors that this initiative has …
I am heartened to speak after my good friend, the Ambassador from Indonesia, a country with which Norway is conducting an inter- media dialogue and, in practical terms, is building bridges between countries, religions, Islam and
Christianity. And we will continue to do that in both our regions of t…
The international humanitarian system is under intense and growing pressure. Regions of Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sri Lanka, the Sudan, Palestine and Afghanistan are examples where the situation has gone from bad to worse.
At the same time, the combined effects of the financial…
Norway welcomes today’s draft resolution on Afghanistan (A/63/L.17). The broad support it enjoys sends an important message that we are united and committed to helping Afghanistan build a democratic country and to helping heal the wounds inflicted by decades of war and terror.
At the Paris Conferen…
It is my pleasure to speak on behalf of the Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway. Allow me initially to express our profound gratitude to Ambassador Takasu of Japan for his continued leadership and the lucid remarks that he made at the launch of our discussions here today.
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Norway is fully committed to the rebuilding of Afghanistan. At the Paris Conference in June, Norway pledged €500 million for the period covered by the Afghanistan National Development Strategy. That makes Afghanistan the number one recipient of Norwegian development and humanitarian assistance.
As …
We believe that requesting an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice is acceptable and can serve to stabilize the region, even if there are also sound arguments against engaging the Court in a matter regarding a new State, given that most peoples enter statehood under difficult and…
Climate change is impacting our marine environment. The sea level is rising, endangering millions of people in coastal zones and in small island States in particular.
The effects of climate change are most clearly visible and measurable in the polar regions. The air temperature has been rising twic…
Peaceful and sustainable uses of the oceans through the implementation of the law of the sea remain key priorities for the Norwegian Government. In this statement, I will highlight five
topics that are of particular importance today, namely, issues pertaining to the continental shelf, the Arctic Oc…
Next week, the attention of the international community will be directed towards the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. The effects and impacts of climate change are evident to all of us, and we need to respond urgently. We hope that the Conference will have the necessary moment…
