- 29 minutes ago
During the 81st High-Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly, the president of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Sylvanie Burton, emphasized on Tuesday the importance of not only addressing the interrelated crises currently unfolding but, above all, giving due attention to their root causes and called for more climate funding.
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00:00Hello, join us. We go live to New York City, to the United Nations headquarters at this hour.
00:04The President of Dominique, Sylvain Burton, is offering statements. Let's listen.
00:10It's changing how we work, communicate, and understand the world.
00:16Climate change is reshaping economies, communities, and entire ecosystems.
00:24Conflicts are destroying lives and displacing families.
00:27Economic uncertainty is deepening in equality, while progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals has stalled.
00:38These challenges are not unfolding in isolation.
00:43They are interconnected, global in scale, and beyond the capacity of any one nation to address alone.
00:52They demand stronger cooperation and renewed confidence in multilateralism.
01:00Yet, excellencies, at the very moment when collective action is most urgently needed,
01:08this organization stands at a crossroads.
01:12The question before us, therefore, is whether we possess the courage, solidarity, and political will
01:22to shape that change and guide our world towards peace, justice, and shared prosperity.
01:32I strongly believe that most right-thinking individuals would agree that the UN system has substantially delivered
01:41for all countries over the several decades of its existence.
01:46For more than 80 years, this organization has embodied humanity's highest collective aspiration
01:55that countries, large and small, rich and poor, can work together to prevent conflict,
02:04protect human dignity, and improve the lives of their people.
02:09The United Nations provides shelter and protection to people enduring conflict, displacement, and natural disaster.
02:20It supports education, health care, peacekeeping, elections, and development in communities that might otherwise be forgotten.
02:32These achievements matter and must never be dismissed or diminished.
02:39What the United Nations does not currently do enough is deliver at the transformative level.
02:49Too often, humanity and the institutions we have created to serve us have had to concentrate on managing one crisis
03:00after another
03:02without giving enough attention to the conditions that allow them to persist.
03:09Excellencies, there is no question that managing crisis is necessary.
03:16It brings relief, restores hope, and saves lives.
03:21But we cannot stop there.
03:23Our responsibility must also be to address the root causes of these problems
03:31and build systems that are fairer, stronger, and better able to serve our people.
03:39The true test of this organization, therefore, is not only how well we respond after people have suffered.
03:49It is also whether we can work together to prevent that suffering in the first place.
03:56This is not to dismiss what has already been achieved.
04:01It is a call for us to build on that progress, strengthen our cooperation, and deliver the meaningful change that
04:09our people expect from us.
04:12A fundamental question that one must ask is, can the international system still deliver?
04:23For Dominica, this is not an abstract question.
04:28When a hurricane destroys our infrastructure, when international energy prices rise,
04:35when access to capital becomes more expensive,
04:39when global markets change, or when climate finance remains beyond our reach,
04:45the consequences are felt immediately in our homes, in our businesses, in our schools and hospitals,
04:55and in the very lives of our people.
04:58Yet, Mr. President, I do not come before this assembly to speak only of vulnerability.
05:06I wish to speak of transformation and resilience.
05:12Dominica has made a choice.
05:14We have chosen not only to rebuild after disaster, but to build differently, build better, build stronger.
05:26We have chosen not only to adapt to climate change,
05:31but to demonstrate what a climate-resilient economy and country can look like.
05:38And we have chosen to move from dependence to greater resilience.
05:45Mr. President, in 2017, Category 5 Hurricane Maria demonstrated with devastating force
05:55the vulnerability of small island states like Dominica.
06:01The economic and human consequences were enormous.
06:05Hurricane Maria, however, also taught us an important lesson.
06:14Resilience should never begin after the disaster.
06:19Resilience must begin before disasters.
06:24The international community must move from a model that primarily finances reconstruction after catastrophe
06:35to one that invests systematically in resilience before disaster strikes.
06:41For Dominica, this means resilient roads and bridges, resilient buildings, reliable communications,
06:53modern water systems, strengthened health infrastructure, and disaster-ready communities.
07:01But resilience is not only physical.
07:05A resilient country must have resilient institutions.
07:10It must have resilient public finances.
07:14It must have resilient energy systems.
07:18And must have resilient food systems.
07:22Above all, a resilient nation must have people who possess the skills and confidence to withstand shocks and move forward.
07:36That is the Dominica that we are building.
07:41Excellencies, Dominica has begun the transition from imported fossil fuels to renewable energy.
07:50Our geothermal power plant is now in commercial operation and increasing the renewable share of our electricity generation to approximately
08:0184%.
08:03We are well on our way to achieving 100% renewable energy by 2030.
08:14This is more than an energy project.
08:18It is economic transformation.
08:22It demonstrates that small states can lead in the transition to clean energy.
08:29Every barrel of oil that we no longer need to import strengthens our resilience to international price shocks.
08:40Every unit of clean electricity we produce strengthens our energy security.
08:48Affordable, reliable, renewable energy can become a foundation for new industries,
08:56new investment, new employment, and greater competitiveness.
09:03The lesson is important beyond Dominica.
09:07We need international finance that recognizes the transformative nature of renewable energy investment in vulnerable countries.
09:19We need financing mechanisms that allow countries such as Dominica to move faster.
09:28And we need partnerships that allow the energy transition to become an engine of economic development and growth.
09:39Our ambition is not merely to generate clean electricity.
09:44Our ambition is to use clean energy to transform our economy.
09:53Mr. President, the international community has become very good at recognizing vulnerability.
10:03We have become less successful at financing the transformation that vulnerability requires.
10:11Too often the cycle is predictable.
10:17A disaster occurs.
10:20Infrastructure is destroyed and economic activity collapses.
10:24We then mobilize resources to rebuild what was lost.
10:29Often through borrowing that substantially increases debt to rebuild what we could have made more resilient from the outset.
10:41This is not an efficient financial model.
10:45The best time to build resilience is before disaster.
10:49The best time to finance transformation is before crisis.
10:54And the value of resilience should be measured not only by what we build, but by what we prevent from
11:04being destroyed.
11:07Mr. President, Dominica does not come to the United Nations asking to be treated as a victim of vulnerability.
11:15We come asking to be recognized as a partner in transformation.
11:23We must finance potential, not merely manage vulnerability.
11:30And this is not only about Dominica.
11:33It is about whether the global financial system is capable of recognizing a different development model.
11:43A model in which resilience is an investment.
11:48Nature is an asset.
11:51Connectivity is productive infrastructure.
11:55Clean energy is economic opportunity.
11:59And prevention is financially smarter than reconstruction.
12:03That is the proposition we place before this assembly.
12:08It is time that the international financial architecture evolves.
12:15Dominica joins its voice with those countries that continue to advocate for the use of multidimensional vulnerability as a practical
12:26and fair basis in determining access to development finance.
12:32We call for greater and easier access to concessional financing and grants for adaptation.
12:42We call for stronger disaster clauses in sovereign debt instruments.
12:48We call for financing mechanisms that can be activated rapidly when disasters strike.
12:55And we call for a fundamental shift in the way the international community views investment in resilience.
13:07Every dollar spent preventing the destruction of a road, a hospital, a school, or a water system is an investment
13:17in future development.
13:19Dominica is prepared to serve as a demonstration country for this approach.
13:29We are prepared to work with international partners to show what happens when finance is designed around transformation rather than
13:40vulnerability.
13:42Mr. President, Dominica has long spoken of becoming the world's first climate resilient nation.
13:52Today, I wish to take that ambition further.
13:58We invite the international community to partner with us in making Dominica a living laboratory for climate resilience and sustainable
14:09development.
14:10Bring us the technology.
14:15Bring us the research.
14:17Bring us the investment.
14:19Bring us the innovation.
14:23And together, let us demonstrate what a resilient small island economy can look like.
14:31resilient housing, smart and renewable energy systems, climate smart agriculture, modern water management, digital public services, resilient infrastructure, nature-based
14:48adaptation, and new industries powered by clean energy.
14:54This should not be a relationship based simply on donor and recipient.
14:59It should be a relationship based on partnership, innovation, and shared learning.
15:07Dominica has lessons to learn from the world.
15:11But we also have lessons to offer the world.
15:17Mr. President, transformation is ultimately about people.
15:22A resilient economy must create opportunity for young people.
15:28Young people want to inherit a country that is not merely protected from disasters, but one in which they can
15:36build businesses, work in new industries, participate in the global economy, and build meaningful lives at home.
15:45That is why our investment in energy, connectivity, digital transformation, tourism, agriculture, and resilience must ultimately converge around one objective,
16:02creating opportunity.
16:06Excellencies.
16:08Excellencies, the challenges before us extend beyond climate and finance.
16:13We meet at a time when war continues to devastate communities and ruin lives.
16:20When humanitarian crisis.
16:23When humanitarian crises are multiplying.
16:24When international law is under pressure.
16:28When trust between nations is strained.
16:32We cannot speak about development without speaking about peace.
16:38Without peace, development is tenuous.
16:42We believe in the principles of the United Nations Charter.
16:47We believe in respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.
16:52We believe in the peaceful settlement of international disputes.
16:57We believe in dialogue.
16:59And we believe that international law must apply equally to all nations.
17:06And must be applied consistently.
17:11Small states must never become collateral damage in the competition among larger powers.
17:19The security of a small nation is no less important than the security of a large one.
17:26The credibility of multilateralism depends on fairness.
17:31But it also depends on delivery.
17:34The true test of multilateralism is not whether we can agree in this room.
17:42It is whether our agreements can transform lives outside of this room.
17:49That is why I welcome the central challenge of this 81st General Assembly.
17:59Restoring trust.
18:01Excellencies.
18:03The world does not need another generation of promises that remain unfulfilled.
18:09It needs delivery.
18:11It needs institutions that respond faster.
18:15It needs financing that reaches vulnerable countries more efficiently.
18:22It needs partnerships that produce measurable results.
18:27And it needs a multilateral system that people can believe in again.
18:34For Dominica, restoring trust means closing the gap between international commitments
18:40and the lived experience of our people.
18:44It means ensuring that when the world says it supports climate resilience,
18:50resources actually reach the communities that need them.
18:54It means ensuring that when we call for sustainable development,
19:00financing mechanisms do not make sustainability harder to achieve.
19:06And it means recognizing that the challenges confronting small island states are not marginal issues.
19:15They are an early warning of the challenges that the wider world will increasingly face.
19:23The United Nations must remain a place where every country, large or small, can believe that its voice matters.
19:34But the United Nations must also remain a place where ambition can become action.
19:41Mr. President, we must also confront the serious challenges facing the Sustainable Development Goals.
19:50The SDGs represented a promise that by 2030, we would make meaningful progress in ending poverty and hunger,
20:01improving health and education, advancing equality, protecting our planet, and building more peaceful and inclusive societies.
20:11Today, that promise is at risk.
20:15Conflict, climate change, death distress, inflation, and persistent inequality have pushed the goals further out of reach for many developing
20:29countries.
20:30But this is not the time to abandon the 2030 agenda.
20:35It is the time to renew our commitment and concentrate on delivering results that people can see and feel in
20:45their daily lives.
20:46For Dominica, we have incorporated the SDGs as priorities in our National Resilience Development Strategy 2030,
20:57our Climate Resilience and Recovery Plan, and our wider development agenda.
21:03We see sustainability and sustainable development in the homes we have built for vulnerable families,
21:12in our investment in geothermal energy as cleaner, more affordable, and reliable energy.
21:20We see it in our efforts to strengthen education, expand technical and vocational training,
21:27and better prepare our young people for the world of work.
21:32We see it in our support for farmers, entrepreneurs, agro-processors, and tourism operators,
21:40who are creating jobs and building stronger local industries.
21:45We also see it in our work to protect our forests, marine resources, and natural environment.
21:53For Dominica, these resources are part of our identity, but they are also essential to our food security,
22:02our tourism product, and the livelihoods of our people.
22:07Excellencies, the challenges before us cannot be overcome by any one country acting alone.
22:15They require a strong and effective United Nations, renewed international cooperation,
22:22and a firm commitment to multilateralism.
22:26We need a united nations that does more than respond to crises after lives have been lost and communities destroyed.
22:35We need an organization that works with determination to prevent conflict, advance sustainable development,
22:42confront justice, and protect those who are most vulnerable.
22:47We need a system in which every country, regardless of its size, wealth, or influence, has a voice and a
22:56meaningful place at the table.
22:59We need multilateralism that is not selective in its concern or even in its response,
23:08but fair, effective, and responsive to the needs of all people.
23:14Our development must include young people, women and girls, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities,
23:25the elderly, and communities that have too often been left behind.
23:31If the United Nations is to deliver for all, it must first see, hear, and include all.
23:42Multilateralism is our best hope for addressing challenges that cross borders, threaten our shared future, and demand collective action.
23:53We therefore remain committed to peace, climate action, sustainable development, and the dignity of every human being.
24:03We remain ready to work with all nations in a spirit of mutual respect and shared responsibility to build a
24:14fierer, safer, and more resilient world.
24:18Mr. President, let this 81st session be remembered as the moment when we collectively renewed our faith in cooperation and
24:32matched our words with action.
24:35Let this 81st session.
24:37Let this 81st session be remembered as the moment when vulnerability was met with solidarity, promises were honored, and trust
24:47was rebuilt through meaningful delivery.
24:50Above all, let this 81st session be remembered as the moment when this family of nations formed the courage to
25:01act together and recommitted ourselves to ensuring that no country, no community, and no person was left behind.
25:13I, a horror, thank you.
25:15I thank you for the courtesy of your attention.
25:20Applause
25:27Those were the statements of this hour from Silvini Burton, President of Dominica.
25:34As she was addressing urgent matters such as climate change and how it is impacting every sphere of the economy
25:42of small island nations.
25:45She also was referring about vulnerability, about resilience, and how the renewed confidence and multilateralism is the only way to
25:54guide the world toward peace, toward justice, and also shared prosperity.
26:00Those were the statements last-minute information at this hour.
26:03Stay tuned with Telesur English.
26:05We are going to keep updating you on the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
26:10So stay tuned with Telesur.
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