Minister of State Power Delivers National Statement to UN General Assembly, Emphasises there has never been Greater Need for UN in Confronting Global Challenges

Minister of State Power Delivers National Statement to UN General Assembly, Emphasises there has never been Greater Need for UN in Confronting Global Challenges

The Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Peter Power, T.D., delivered Ireland’s annual address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York this evening. In his address, Minister Power emphasised how “there has never been a greater need for the United Nations” in view of the “formidable array of common challenges…[confronting] the international community”.

Minister Power noted how, in light of the high-level discussions on climate change, global poverty and hunger, and nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation which have taken place at the UN in recent days, “there is a much clearer appreciation of…[the UN’s] potential to deliver an effective response.” The challenge for Member States is “whether we can mobilise the political will needed in order to ensure that the UN can deliver even more in the future.”

Global hunger and food insecurity were also highlighted in Minister Power’s address, with the Minister noting that one billion people go hungry every day. “This situation is an enormous collective failure by all of us.” Calling for greater collective action to eradicate hunger, the Minister welcomed the fact that “we now have strong leadership to act on this urgent crisis of humanity.” Last Saturday’s Global Partnership for Agriculture and Food Security meeting chaired by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, and which Minister Power addressed, “holds the promise of a world free from chronic hunger.”

Noting that Ireland has made food security a cornerstone of its aid programme, with 20% of the programme to be hunger-focussed by 2012, Minister Power urged concerted action by the international community to ensure that the Millennium Development Goal of halving the number of hungry people globally by 2015 is attained.

The continuing tragedy of Darfur and the plight of Sharon Commins and Hilda Kuwuki, the two GOAL aid workers kidnapped in early July, were also mentioned by Minister Power who expressed the Government’s gratitude to the UN and others who have assisted the efforts to secure the release of the two women.

Dealing with the situation in the Middle East, Minister Power expressed Ireland’s support for the renewed international efforts to reinvigorate the Middle East peace process and praised the US Administration and US Middle East peace envoy, George Mitchell, for their intensive engagement. Calling on all sides to honour their commitments and obligations under the Road Map, Minister Power urged that “this must include real efforts to halt all settlement activities and improve the living conditions of civilians on the ground in the Palestinian territories.” Minister Power also called for urgent action to address the “unacceptable” humanitarian situation in Gaza and, in particular, the full and immediate opening of all border crossings to normal commercial and humanitarian traffic.

On Iran, Minister Power urged its government to respond to the demands of the international community and “answer satisfactorily all questions regarding its nuclear activities”, particularly in light of the latest revelations regarding a previously undisclosed second nuclear site. Minister Power also reminded Iran of its obligations to protect the basic human rights of its citizens. Minister Power also renewed the Government’s repeated calls for the immediate release of the imprisoned Burmese opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and all other political prisoners in Burma and the maintenance of international pressure on Burma’s military leaders to move to democracy.

ENDS
Press Section
Department of Foreign Affairs
28 September 2009