00:00while at the same time appearing on lists alongside countries that promote terrorism.
00:05We believe it is the right time to undertake a comprehensive reform.
00:10Nature, we think, is our front line of defense against climate change.
00:14The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency José Romulino Guintero,
00:19President of the Republic of Panama.
00:23I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.
00:30A very good morning, Madam President,
00:50distinguished heads of state and government,
00:55honorable delegates,
01:00on behalf of the Panamanian people,
01:03with profound respect and renewed hope,
01:07I appear before this honorable assembly
01:10on the 80th anniversary of this organization,
01:15which remains a beacon for peace, cooperation and progress.
01:20Panama has been committed since the signing of the Charter of San Francisco in 1945
01:28to peace-building, security, sustainable development and human rights.
01:37Over these eight decades,
01:39our country has championed multilateral diplomacy
01:43and public international law as a cornerstone of our foreign policy.
01:50The UN-80 initiative,
01:53presented by the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres,
01:57offers an opportunity to reflect on the past,
02:00to raise awareness of present threats
02:04and to envision a fairer future.
02:08We firmly believe that today, more than ever,
02:13we must strengthen the value of multilateralism
02:16to respond to global challenges and crises
02:21as a tool to mitigate asymmetries among nations.
02:25In this regard,
02:27I wish to highlight that multilateral policy
02:31contributed to our country's removal, for instance,
02:37from discriminatory lists imposed by the European Union
02:40and the Financial Action Task Force,
02:44since it does not make sense
02:45to be a member of the Security Council of this organization,
02:49while at the same time appearing on lists
02:51alongside countries that promote terrorism.
02:54We believe it is the right time
02:56to undertake a comprehensive reform,
02:59to make the Security Council more effective,
03:02to make the General Assembly more representative,
03:05to make specialized agencies more inclusive
03:08and, above all, to reduce bureaucracy.
03:14Panama, just like other countries,
03:15calls for greater representation of Latin America
03:18and the Caribbean in decision-making bodies.
03:21The time has come to update the architecture
03:26of multilateral governance.
03:29Our region is the world's leading exporter of food.
03:36It is home to a strategic canal
03:39linking the Atlantic and the Pacific,
03:42and it holds more than 50% of the planet's biodiversity.
03:45We are major suppliers of minerals.
03:51We possess the largest freshwater reserves.
03:55We live together in peace,
03:56and we strive to preserve this.
03:59All of these elements make us a key global actor,
04:04and we must ensure that our representation reflects our role
04:11and our global significance.
04:13In line with our mission to contain and prevent
04:16the tragic outcome of a global war,
04:20which was its fundamental raison d'être,
04:23the United Nations is also facing a challenge
04:28of promoting urgent action
04:30to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
04:38Today, the world is facing a trifecta
04:41of devastating crises,
04:43climate change,
04:45pollution and biodiversity loss,
04:47all against a backdrop of weakened cooperation.
04:52The response to these crises must be swift and united.
04:58In response,
05:00Panama has put forward its Nature Pledge,
05:04which is our pact with nature.
05:06This is a new way of understanding
05:09environmental and climate policy,
05:12integrating our obligations on climate,
05:15biodiversity and land
05:17into a single national commitment.
05:22In practice,
05:23Panama is pledging to curb its emissions by 2035.
05:28Even as a carbon-negative country,
05:32we believe there's always room
05:34to take further steps towards sustainability
05:36for future generations.
05:41To this end,
05:42we will be restoring 100,000 hectares
05:45of priority ecosystems,
05:47including mangroves and water basins,
05:49because nature, we think,
05:51is our front line of defense
05:53against climate change.
05:56Panama trusts in a renewed United Nations,
06:00one that strengthens digital security
06:02and international cooperation
06:03with ethical and inclusive principles,
06:08that supports just energy transitions,
06:10and one that upholds freedom of expression.
06:16In this spirit,
06:18we reaffirm our unwavering respect
06:20for freedom and democracy in our region,
06:22which continues to suffer from instability
06:25at the hands of those
06:26who disregard the popular will
06:28expressed through the ballot box,
06:30or who simply do not permit
06:32open and transparent elections.
06:34We aspire to be a member
06:38of the United Nations
06:39that is capable of preventing conflicts
06:41before they arise,
06:43that can better respond promptly
06:45to humanitarian emergencies,
06:47that better coordinates
06:48its field agencies,
06:50and that more faithfully represents
06:53the diversity of peoples across the globe.
06:57Panama has offered to host offices
07:00of United Nations system organizations
07:03to support reform efforts
07:06under the UN-80 initiative.
07:14I also wish today
07:17to express my solidarity
07:20with the Japanese people,
07:22this on the occasion
07:24of the 23rd anniversary
07:27of North Korea's admission
07:30of its abduction
07:32of at least 17 Japanese nationals.
07:36The world needs to know the truth
07:39so that these events
07:41are never repeated,
07:43and Japan deserves justice.
07:47Ladies and gentlemen,
07:49I cannot let this opportunity pass
07:53without highlighting
07:54that we have now completed
07:56a quarter century
07:57since our canal
07:58was transferred
07:59into Panamanian hands.
08:00As of the 31st of December 1999,
08:03the Republic of Panama
08:04took up the works
08:06and operations of the canal
08:07efficiently, safely,
08:10sustainably, and neutrally,
08:12this in accordance
08:13with the Panama Canal Treaty,
08:15Torrijos Carta Treaty,
08:17and the Permanent Neutrality Treaty,
08:19which were both signed in 1977.
08:22Since then,
08:23we have administered
08:24the waterway
08:25in exemplary fashion,
08:27contributed to the country's
08:28economic development,
08:29and operated the canal
08:30for the benefit
08:31of international navigation.
08:33Over this period,
08:34Panama expanded
08:35the interoceanic route
08:37using our own resources
08:38to meet the demand
08:40of larger vessels.
08:43Now we are taking
08:44another step forward.
08:45We are supporting
08:46the Panama Canal Authority
08:48in the development
08:50of the Rio Indio Reservoir.
08:52This is an ambitious project
08:54to ensure water supply
08:56for our population
08:57and the canal,
08:59so that vessel traffic
09:00is not threatened
09:02by recurring droughts
09:06in our region.
09:09Our waterway serves
09:11more than 180 maritime routes
09:14and more than 140 nations,
09:18and approximately 4%
09:20of global trade
09:21passes through it.
09:23We are committed
09:24to ensuring efficiency
09:26in support
09:27of international logistics.
09:29Before this assembly,
09:31Panama once again
09:32reaffirms its serious
09:35and sustained commitment
09:36to the regime
09:38established under the treaty
09:40concerning permanent neutrality.
09:44the protocol of which
09:49numerous states
09:50have adhered to.
09:51Neutrality is the best formula
09:53to safeguard the security
09:55of our canal,
09:56a global public good.
09:59The Panama Canal
10:00is neutral,
10:01open to the world,
10:03and a facilitator
10:04of more integrated
10:05international trade.
10:07It is and shall remain
10:09Panamanian.
10:10Ladies and gentlemen,
10:13Panama, as you know,
10:14holds a non-permanent seat
10:16on the United Nations
10:17Security Council
10:18for the 2025-2026 term.
10:22This past August,
10:23we held the rotating
10:25presidency of the Security Council.
10:27We viewed this role
10:28as a responsibility
10:29to maintain a strong voice
10:32in favour of peace,
10:34sovereign equality of states,
10:36justice,
10:38international law,
10:39and respect for agreements
10:42among nations.
10:44We have also stressed
10:46the importance
10:46of maritime security
10:48as a priority
10:50during our participation
10:52in the Council.
10:54Panama's national identity
10:56is closely linked
10:57to maritime transport.
11:00Over the centuries,
11:01we have consolidated
11:02our role as a key actor
11:04in navigation
11:05and international trade.
11:08Piracy,
11:11arms and drugs trafficking,
11:13and illegal fishing
11:14all affect trade
11:16and the global
11:17maritime transport system.
11:20As a transit nation
11:22and a logistics hub
11:24in our continent,
11:25Panama proposes
11:26to strengthen cooperation
11:27among specialised agencies,
11:29including through
11:31a regional network
11:32to promote maritime security.
11:34This would operate
11:35under the umbrella
11:36of ocean governance
11:37and in accordance
11:38with international law.
11:41I wish to reiterate
11:42before this assembly
11:43the work that this organisation
11:45needs to undertake
11:46to mitigate the effects
11:47of illegal migration
11:48driven by organisations
11:50that are either directly
11:51or indirectly linked
11:53to drugs trafficking.
11:57For years,
11:58millions of people
11:59have been passing
12:00through our Darien region
12:01which is on our border
12:02with Colombia.
12:04And yet in just one year
12:05in office,
12:06we've reduced the flow
12:07of migrants heading north
12:08to zero.
12:09That crisis was resolved,
12:11thus meeting the promise
12:12to shut down
12:13illegal crossings
12:14through the Darien.
12:17The humanitarian
12:18and environmental consequences
12:20were extreme.
12:22The suffering of women
12:23and children
12:24subjected to abuse
12:26and the pollution
12:27of one of the world's
12:28most biodiverse areas.
12:31These continue
12:31to cause pain
12:33to those of us
12:34who have had direct contact
12:35with the situation.
12:38Today, we are seeing
12:39north-south migration
12:40on a much smaller scale
12:42but which renews
12:44our commitment
12:44to the orderly transit
12:45of people
12:46so that they may return home.
12:48I must say that
12:51while the migratory crisis
12:53has been resolved,
12:54the causes of mass emigration
12:56remain unaddressed.
13:00The fact that our country
13:01has resolved this scourge
13:03doesn't mean that we should
13:04let up in our demands
13:05for concrete responses
13:07such as in the case
13:08of the border between Haiti
13:09and the Dominican Republic
13:10which is facing unchecked migration
13:13that also has an effect
13:15on the entire region.
13:17It's essential that we find
13:19clear solutions
13:20both for the Haitian crisis
13:22and more generally
13:24for effective control
13:25of migratory flows.
13:26We are currently suffering
13:29from the growth
13:30of another illegal activity
13:32which is drug trafficking.
13:35Today, it poses a threat
13:36to human lives
13:38and a grave risk
13:41of instability
13:42throughout the entire region
13:44due to the different cartels
13:46operating there.
13:48Just to give you a quick idea,
13:51this year alone,
13:53Panama has seized
13:54nearly 150 tons
13:57of cocaine
13:59and other drugs.
14:01This is an historic
14:03and alarming figure.
14:05One which compels us
14:07to step up our efforts
14:08to seek greater cooperation
14:10and to galvanize resources
14:13in a struggle
14:14that must be a common cause
14:15among all nations of the world.
14:18Honourable members,
14:20next year,
14:21the Amphictyonic Congress
14:23of Panama
14:24convened by the liberator
14:26Simón Bolívar
14:27will celebrate its bicentenary.
14:29Its proposal was
14:31for an international system
14:32based on the sovereign equality
14:33of states,
14:34justice,
14:35law
14:35and international cooperation
14:37to achieve
14:38the people's common goals.
14:41We hope that this commemoration
14:43will serve as a new starting point
14:46for international cooperation,
14:48one that respects
14:49and elevates
14:50the values of sovereignty,
14:51peace and peaceful coexistence,
14:54values that must guide our work
14:56in this and other global fora.
15:00Honourable members,
15:01before this forum
15:02of global peace
15:03and international cooperation,
15:05I reiterate the faith
15:07of the Panamanian people
15:08in the United Nations system.
15:10At times of crisis,
15:12when the winds of unilateralism,
15:15polarisation and fragmentation
15:17are blowing,
15:19Panama will raise its voice
15:21in defence of multinaturalism.
15:24Panama will remain an enthusiastic member
15:26of the United Nations,
15:28a defender of international law
15:30and a tireless proponent of global peace.
15:33because as this year's theme
15:36reminds us,
15:37we are stronger together
15:38and only together
15:41can we build a fairer
15:43and more humane future for all.
15:46Thank you very much.
15:47I wish to thank the President
15:59of the Republic of Panama.
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