Note: A complete summary of today’s Security Council meeting will be made available after its conclusion.
Briefings
ANTÓNIO GUTERRES, Secretary-General of the United Nations, said the vital link between development and sustaining peace has defined the United Nations, which was built on three pillars — peace, development and human rights, from the very start. “Development by itself is not enough to secure peace. But development is essential,” he emphasized, adding that no peace is secure without inclusive and sustainable development that leaves no one behind, as recognized in the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Development gains are often among the first casualties of war; the closer a country is to conflict, the farther it is from sustainable and inclusive development. Nine of the 10 countries with the lowest human development indicators have experienced conflicts or violence in the past 10 years. “Inequalities and lack of opportunities, decent jobs, and freedom can breed frustration and raise the spectre of violence and instability,” he said, noting weak institutions and corruption, environmental degradation, and violent extremist and terrorist groups, among factors that aggravate insecurities and corrode effective governance.
“Human development lights the way to hope — promoting prevention, security, and peace”, so advancing peace and advancing sustainable, inclusive development must go hand-in-hand, he said. Noting that 85 per cent of “SDG” targets are off- track, he called on the international community to act with far greater urgency and ambition. Developing countries — particularly least developed countries — are being battered by a perfect storm of crises, including crushing debt burdens, evaporating fiscal space, and soaring prices. Moreover, escalating climate catastrophe, widening inequalities, and worsening unemployment and poverty, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and unequal recovery, combined, is “a recipe for social strife, political instability, and, ultimately, open conflict,” he warned. “We must do more to support countries in dire straits,” he said, adding that he has been advocating for bold steps to make global institutions — including the international financial architecture — more representative of today’s realities, and more responsive to the needs of developing economies.
He proposed a set of concrete actions that the international community can take now – including an “SDG” Stimulus of $500 billion a year to reduce debt burdens and release resources for long-term, affordable financing from multilateral and private sources. “Each and every day, the women and men of the United Nations are bringing to life the link between peace, development and justice in our work around the world,” he said. UN country teams are spearheading efforts to support national priorities for sustainable and inclusive development, while UN peacekeeping operations are assisting Member States as they manage and resolve conflicts. His special envoys and the Organization’s special political missions are facilitating political processes and mediating and preventing the eruption of open conflict. He called on Member States to strengthen the Peacebuilding Commission and enhance its effectiveness. The Security Council, in particular, could more systematically seek the Commission’s advice on the peacebuilding dimensions of the mandates of peace operations, he emphasized.
“We are proud of our work. But we also know that more must be done to join up humanitarian, peace and development efforts,” he continued. Underlining the Organization’s commitment to more firmly link actions for peace with the “SDGs”, he urged more determined action to strengthen prevention, anchored in full respect for all human rights. He also called for “the transformation of gendered and intergenerational power dynamics across the board”, stressing: “It is past time for action to ensure women and young people’s meaningful participation and leadership in decision-making, eradicate all forms of violence against women and uphold women’s rights.” The New Agenda for Peace sets out a vision for preventing conflict, sustaining peace and advancing development that “applies to everyone, in all countries, at all times”. “To secure peace and advance development, we must jettison the self-defeating logic of zero-sum competition, recommit to cooperation, and summon the courage to compromise. The Security Council must be at the heart of this vital effort,” he said.
DILMA ROUSSEFF, President of the New Development Bank, said that cooperation among countries that are conducive to dialogue and consensus is a guiding principle for achieving peace and development. She recalled that, in 2011, when she was President of Brazil, she proposed a debate on the interdependence between security and development, emphasizing that reconstruction and revitalization of economy are crucial elements for long-term development. Noting that sustainable peace requires taking into account the causes of the social-economic situation, she said that poverty alone does not explain violence. Not all individuals or groups suffering from poverty resort to aggression, she observed, stating that social, political and economic exclusion can fuel conflicts.
Emphasizing the interconnectedness and mutual reinforcement of development, peace, security and human rights, she underscored the need for technologically inclusive development. The growing concentration of wealth in the hands of the few has increased inequalities in developing countries while also creating poverty and speculation. Noting that the weak regulation of international finance has failed to prevent recurring rises linked to financialization, she said that regulatory measures recommended after the 2008-2009 financial crisis have failed to prevent the occurrence of new speculative bubbles or excessive liquidity problems. Moreover, since the last global financial crisis, globalization has weakened, in addition to being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions.
“We have a mission to empower the UN and reform the Bretton Woods institutions,” she said, advocating against double standards applied during crises. She recognized that the climate crisis has not been addressed conforming to the decisions made at international environmental forums, noting that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change have never materialized. Stressing that the poorest countries need resources to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, she unscored the need for consensus between developed and developing countries. She also observed that many countries have not reached the third industrial and technological revolution, emphasizing that the technological gap and digital divide create inequalities.
JEFFREY SACHS, President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development, Columbia University, said today’s meeting takes place at a time of major wars in Ukraine, Israel-Palestine, Syria and the Sahel. These wars may seem intractable, but all four could be ended quickly by Security Council agreement. For one thing, major wars are fed from the outside, both with external finances and armaments. The Council could agree to “choke off” these wars by withholding such external means, which would require agreement among the major Powers. These wars result from economic and political factors, which can be addressed through diplomacy rather than violence. By addressing the underlying political and economic factors, the Council can establish conditions for peace and sustainable development.
He said that the war in Ukraine has two main political causes — the attempt by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to include Ukraine, despite the timely and repeated objections by the Russian Federation, and the East-West ethnic division in Ukraine. The Council could quickly end the war by addressing its underlying political and economic causes. He recommended the Council’s establishment of a new peace and development fund to mobilize financing for Ukraine and other war zones leading to recovery and long-term sustainable development. The war in Israel and Palestine could be ended quickly if the Council enforces the many resolutions it passed over several decades, such as those calling for a return to the 1967 borders, the end of Israel’s settlement activities in the occupied territories, and the two-State solution. The Council should immediately recognize the State of Palestine and welcome it as a full UN member, with East Jerusalem as its capital and with sovereign control over the Islamic holy sites.
The Council could similarly end the war in Syria, which erupted in 2011 when several regional Powers and the United States joined forces to topple the Government of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, he said. This deeply misguided regime change operation failed, but it triggered a prolonged war with enormous bloodshed and destruction. All five permanent Council members are in full agreement that all regime-change attempts are now permanently ended and that the Council intends to work closely with the Syrian Government on reconstruction and development. On the economic side, Syria’s best hope is to become closely integrated into the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East region. As for the war in the Sahel, it has similar roots, given that NATO Powers similarly aimed to overthrow the regime of Muammar Qaddafi in 2011, which quickly spilled over to the Sahel’s impoverished countries.
All five permanent member countries and indeed the whole world have suffered adverse consequences from the continuation of these wars. All countries are paying a price in terms of financial burdens, economic instability, risks of terrorism and risks of wider war. The Security Council is in a position to take decisive actions to end the wars before they escalate into even more dangerous conflicts. It is vested with considerable powers by the UN Charter when it has the resolve of its members. It can introduce peacekeepers and even armies. It can impose economic sanctions on countries that do not comply with Council resolutions. It can provide security guarantees to nations and it can make referrals to the International Criminal Court to stop war crimes. In short, the Council is certainly able to enforce its resolutions if it chooses to do so. For the sake of global peace, let the Council now choose to end these wars.
Statements
ZHANG JUN (China), Council President for November, speaking in his national capacity, said “development holds the master key” to solve all problems and constitutes the basis for promoting peace and protecting human rights. Convening the open debate to advocate for a broader view of security issues, his delegation called for mutual respect and common development to support maintaining international peace. Some countries use democracy and human rights as a pretext to “blatantly interfere” in other States’ internal affairs and to impose governance models. “We must fully respect each country’s right to choose its own development path” and governance model according to national conditions, he said. Externally imposed models are often incompatible with local environments and have generated more problems. He rejected protectionism and attempts by certain developed countries to obstruct cooperation by building barriers. Developed countries have the obligation and responsibility to provide assistance to developing countries, allowing them to benefit from the emerging industries of digital technology, clean energy and artificial intelligence, he added.
MANUEL JOSÉ GONÇALVES, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation for Mozambique, said sustainable, inclusive development is the only way to achieve durable and resilient peace. He called for bold measures to put the SDGs on track, lest increasing inequality in and between countries raise the potential for conflict. To ensure peace, he advocated a comprehensive and coordinated approach among Member States with an emphasis on common development. Economic, social and inclusive development should be given the same attention as military matters.
He noted that his country established the Northern Integrated Development Agency to promote the integrated socioeconomic development of the affected provinces of Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Niassa, and improve the quality of life of communities, and promote sustainable peace, social cohesion and resilience to conflicts. He called on Member States to promote development through technology provision, economic investment and development assistance.
LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD (United States) said that the promotion and strengthening of human rights are not conflict drivers, as others have said. However, proactive action is necessary, given the difficulties in taking action after conflict has broken out. As conflict is the number-one cause of hunger, which is a driving force of conflict, “it is our job to disrupt that cycle”, noting that in 2022, the United States provided over half of the budget of the World Food Programme (WFP) budget. Together with the Group of Seven, it is committed to mobilize $600 billion in new investment by 2027 through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. As the world’s major economies mobilize financing for development, responsible and transparent lending must be ensured. The United States has been working with a broad coalition to evolve the multilateral development banks and to expand by hundreds of billions of dollars the availability of safe, sustainable financing, especially for the poorest countries, she added.
NICOLAS DE RIVIÈRE (France) said that in light of the magnitude of international tensions, it is the duty of the Member States to revisit and review their means of action and tackle the root causes of conflict. Noting that the conflicts are intrinsically tied to development, he emphasized that climate change and environmental degradation are additional factors of instability. The New Agenda for Peace offers an opportunity for collective commitment of nations, as it merges developmental support for political processes, respect for human rights and the delivery of peacekeeping operations. France has contributed to this strategy’s development, contributing to the mobilization of $16 billion for the Great Green Wall project, which aims to combat the effects of climate change, deforestation, food insecurity and poverty, from Senegal to Djibouti.
VANESSA FRAZIER (Malta) said sustainable development is an enabler of conflict prevention and peacebuilding, as it unlocks transformative change in societies, enhances adaptation, mitigation and resilience to current and future shocks. Malta underscores the importance of human rights, democracy, the rule of law and good governance, together with inclusive and sustainable development. It calls for a whole-of-system approach towards peacebuilding and further cooperation between UN bodies, including the Security Council, the General Assembly, and the Economic and Social Council, as well as the Peacebuilding Commission and Human Rights Council. Inclusive development requires the collective recognition of the specific needs of women and girls, in both conflict and post-conflict situations. Malta calls for their full, equal, meaningful, effective and safe participation in all spheres and levels of public and political life. Access to inclusive and quality education and empowerment opportunities also is a critical precondition to eradicating poverty, achieving gender equality and closing the digital gap.
MICHEL XAVIER BIANG (Gabon) highlighted that several epicenters of instability in Africa have become chronic and forgotten, including in the Sahel, Horn of Africa, Great Lakes region and the Lake Chad Basin. He called for massive investments in development, because tackling the root causes of State fragility will bring more benefits than dwelling on the crises’ symptoms. He echoed the Secretary-General that the best defence against violent conflict is inclusive development that leaves nobody behind. Investments should focus in particular on education, poverty eradication and youth employment to protect them from networks of violence and exploitation. A unified, diversified response is needed to help fragile States extricate themselves from multidimensional crises. In that regard, international financial institutions, such as the African Development Bank, are of paramount importance. The international community also should move beyond the multilateral sphere to mobilize the public and private sectors, including civil society, to establish a genuine global pact for socioeconomic development.
LANA ZAKI NUSSEIBEH (United Arab Emirates) said that investing in development pays the dividends of peace. The relationship between vulnerability, climate change and armed conflict must be addressed and the Council should embrace innovative approaches to see conflicts through a climate-sensitive lens. “We have a window of opportunity to integrate climate action and development. It is critical to seize this moment.” She also called for ensuring sustainable and equitable access to finance, including via reform of the international financial architecture to ensure that developing countries have access to low-cost, long-term financing. There must also be “a quantum leap” in climate financing, she added.
SÉRGIO FRANÇA DANESE (Brazil) said “underinvestment in prevention and in economic and social development has contrasted with the appalling increase in military expenditure and the reinforcement of approaches that respond to immediate security concerns”. Supporting conflict-affected countries in their journey towards peace and prosperity must be a system-wide commitment by the UN. He warned that the promises of peace are fickle and the relapse into conflict more likely without concrete advances in economic and social development. The international financial institutions must act as partners for the implementation of the SDGs, especially by financing capacity-building initiatives related to peacebuilding and conflict prevention. Instead of demanding austere fiscal policies, they must aim at projects that create conditions for economic and social inclusion and, therefore, bring about sustainable peace, he added.
ISHIKANE KIMIHIRO (Japan) said that providing necessary infrastructure and economic opportunities for all will help reduce grievances and lower social instability. To ensure that people have faith in their Governments, basic services — health, education and security — must be delivered to the public. Moreover, all development initiatives should be inclusive. To that end, Japan, in collaboration with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has launched a multi-stakeholder pledge on the humanitarian, development and peace nexus for the upcoming second Global Refugee Forum. For its part, the Council should encourage cooperation and coordination between peace operations and UN country teams, agencies, funds and programmes, with the Resident Coordinator system supporting host countries in improving capacities of their people and institutions, he said.
ALBANA DAUTLLARI (Albania) said the best way to prevent or resolve conflicts is by staying true to the commitments Member States made to each other for an international rules-based order. Countries that act in ways that violate these commitments, such as infringing on another’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, or by trying to pressure another country into acting against its own interest, undermine the security of every nation. Further, such action undermines the international system that upholds peace and security around the world. Respect for human rights and the rights of women are also important factors in promoting development, sustaining peace and preventing conflict. The traditional approach of addressing security challenges in isolation is increasingly impractical in a globalized world. Equitable access to financing, UN peacekeeping operations, special political missions and other UN presences can play an important role in creating conducive conditions for peace and development.
ADRIAN DOMINIK HAURI (Switzerland), highlighting the link between peace, development and human rights, said: “We need trust, dialogue and good faith; and we need to address our differences openly and honestly”. If trust between States is vital for international cooperation, trust between Governments and their populations is integral to the functioning of societies. Low levels of trust indicate weak social cohesion, which is closely linked to high levels of economic inequality. The New Agenda for Peace contains important recommendations for action, he said, adding that the Council should reinforce a holistic approach to fulfilling the conflict prevention mandate envisaged by the United Nations Charter. He also underscored the need to integrate the women, peace and security dimension into the Council’s work.
HERNÁN PÉREZ LOOSE (Ecuador) said that prevention is the best tool to maintain peace and security. Leaving no one behind has become difficult to achieve, virtually impossible after the pandemic and various conflicts. He urged more attention to the needs of countries in conflict or transition, as well as the complementary work of peacekeeping and special political missions to facilitate access to multilateral financing. Over-indebtedness, due to an unjust financial architecture and limited access to concessional financing, contributes to fragility. Emerging from conflict is not enough — satisfying a population’s needs is also required, which implies public investment in basic services including health, education and infrastructure. Public and private sectors, including civil society, must unite efforts towards institutional transparency and integrity. He called for implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, as well as allocation by developed countries of 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) to official development assistance (ODA), and between 0.15 to 0.2 per cent for least developed countries.
JAMES KARIUKI (United Kingdom) said that the United Kingdom is committed to development partnerships founded on mutual respect that support national efforts to reduce poverty and instability. Crucial to this will be standing up for the values of open and inclusive societies and promoting gender equality. Under a new framework launched today, the Government of the United Kingdom will champion action to address conflict and fragility and build resilience. To sustain peace, Member States need to identify and address risk factors, such as horizontal inequality and discrimination, and strengthen protective factors that mitigate risks, he added. As a decades-long international development partner, the United Kingdom has learned that effective prevention efforts engage multiple stakeholders, at all levels, in multi-sector responses.
HAROLD ADLAI AGYEMAN (Ghana) said that embracing inclusive development as the foreguard of the prevention agenda would be an important means for ensuring long-term peace and prosperity for all. Multilateralism remains critical to serve collective and individual national interests, but it and the UN Charter must be applied and respected equally. He called for genuine reform of the international financial system, saying it is not fit for purpose. Full implementation of the SDG stimulus package is needed for progress. Member States should consider ways to fund the UN development system and determine ways the UN can truly act as one in supporting national Government efforts to sustain peace and create inclusive prosperity. The Peacebuilding Commission and the synergy of its actions with those of the Council is important to building peace. He highlighted the advantage of networked multilateralism through strengthening partnerships with regional bodies, such as the African Union.
VASSILY A. NEBENZIA (Russian Federation) said that development issues must first and foremost be dealt with by the Organization’s specialized platforms, including the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Organization’s development system. Developed countries are not honouring their ODA and climate finance obligations to the Global South yet are eagerly increasing weapons deliveries to conflict zones, he added. Syria, Afghanistan and countries in Africa face unilateral restrictions and blockades which undermine their ability to attract international financing, technical assistance and capacity-building, he continued, urging the UN to assist these countries in building a network of effective and sustainable development partnerships. The allocation of funds to countries in need is not enough, he said, emphasizing the need to mobilize vast financial and non-financial resources for Global South countries to implement the 2030 Agenda and “to ensure that they can jettison colonial economic models and embark on independent development paths”.
PÉTER SZIJJÁRTÓ, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, said his continent has been confronted with serious security-related challenges, pointing to the Ukraine war and Middle East conflict. Hungary is protecting the European Union’s external borders on the “most busy” migratory route, he said, adding that the bloc’s migratory policy encourages migration and feeds the business model of smugglers. Terrorism and migration are forming an “evil cycle”, he said, highlighting the threat of terrorism in Europe. Observing that the major migratory risk stems from the Sahel region, he reported that Hungary has deployed 200 troops to Chad to help that country’s regular forces to create stability. Europe should help the African countries “to keep their growing population at home”, he said, urging job creation and appropriate living standards. To that end, Budapest has been carrying out tied aid credit programmes of $40 million in the region, also contributing $30 million in aid and, every year, 1,425 African students receive full-fledged scholarships to study at Hungarian universities.
GERARDO PEÑALVER PORTAL (Cuba) said that international peace and security are consistently threatened by conflicts, acts of aggression, non-conventional wars, embargoes, attempts at regime change and frequent violations of the UN Charter and international law. Cuba is extremely concerned at the serious escalation of violence between Israel and Palestine, he said, reaffirming support for the two-State solution and a guarantee of refugees’ right of return. Exorbitant resources are being squandered on sophisticated artifacts to kill, whilst States leave commitments to ODA unfulfilled, he said. Further, unilateral coercive measures seriously hinder the efforts of affected countries and prevents them from achieving their SDGs. The international community must firmly reject their imposition and work for their unconditional removal. A sustained and lasting peace requires the eradication of its root causes in conflict, he added.
AHMED MOHAMED EZZAT AHMED ELSHANDAWILY (Egypt) said the only way to prevent conflicts is by implementing the sustainable development agenda. He called for comprehensively addressing development alongside peace and security as two sides of the same coin. As African countries continue to suffer from terrorism and instability, intensifying efforts to advance peace can accelerate national reconciliation and help achieve prosperity. He called for mobilizing resources to create the right conditions for economic development, with foreign investment and job opportunities based on the principle of national ownership. “We need collective action to reform the global financial system and increase financing for development.” Beyond alleviating debt burdens, he called for combating terrorism, cutting off its financing sources, and confronting extremist ideology.
VATHAYUDH VICHANKAIYAKIJ (Thailand) said that local development needs should be integrated in every step towards peace. The Summit of the Future should help address poverty eradication, the development gap and the digital divide. People-centred approaches are vital in overcoming multi-faceted challenges, he said, adding that inclusivity is an inherent principle in this. Wider and more robust global partnerships are needed to promote sustained peace through development, he said, adding that the Council must engage with other UN bodies, such as the Peacebuilding Commission and the General Assembly, to better incorporate their development expertise into its work, thus ensuring a more holistic approach to mandate delivery.
GIANLUCA GRECO (Italy), associating himself with the statement to be delivered by the European Union, said that anytime a country violates international law, it becomes itself a driver of conflicts and insecurity, hampering development. Member States must untap the potential of the UN toolbox linking the development agenda with peace and security and must support the UN system and its agencies, funds and programmes, politically and financially. As the world’s largest global donor and as a promoter of rules-based, effective multilateralism, the European Union has been tirelessly pursuing peace, development and human rights. Italy has just doubled the annual contribution to the Peacebuilding Fund and is committed to ensuring adequate, predictable and sustained financing for peacebuilding, he added.
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