International cooperation is key to realizing the vision from the United Nations Charter, and Montenegro, as one of the youngest members of the UN, actively contributes to the strengthening of multilateralism in numerous fields, including engagement in peace missions and in regional initiatives, but also through the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals from Agenda 2030 and strengthening of human rights, it is stated in the joint statement of the Government and the UN team in Montenegro, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations.
As they state, the jubilee is being celebrated at a time of growing uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and they jointly recall the vision of a better world from the founding Charter and the importance of a joint response to global challenges
"75 years ago, the Charter of the United Nations was ratified, which established a world organization on the battlefield of the Second World War with the mission of preserving peace, social progress and protecting human rights and dignity. International cooperation is key to realizing the vision from the Charter of the United Nations, and Montenegro, as one of the youngest members of the UN, actively contributes to the strengthening of multilateralism in numerous fields, including engagement in peacekeeping missions and in regional initiatives, but also through the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals from Agenda 2030 and the strengthening of human rights. The jubilee anniversary of the United Nations comes at a time of growing global socio-economic crisis caused by by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has so far claimed more than a million lives and threatens to push more than 115 million people into extreme poverty. The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare humanity's key vulnerabilities, but also clearly indicated the importance of a joint response to global challenges." it is stated in the joint statement.
On the occasion of the celebration of the United Nations Day, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Srđan Darmanović, pointed out that during 75 years of operation, the UN has confirmed that it represents the backbone of the international community in preserving peace and security, fighting poverty, providing humanitarian aid and protecting human rights. As he emphasized, the irreplaceable role of the UN in facing global challenges was confirmed by the quick and comprehensive response of this organization to the COVID-19 pandemic. The minister thanked the UN system for its continuous support.
"Montenegro remains committed to the fundamental values and principles of the United Nations. We will continue to be a reliable partner that inherits democratic values and nurtures good-neighborly relations and cooperation," said the head of Montenegrin diplomacy. He reminded that Montenegro firmly believes in the idea of multilateralism, with the United Nations at the center, and that it remains committed to fulfilling its obligations from the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Climate Agreement.
"I am convinced that Montenegro will continue to improve cooperation with its partners, and that it will remain open to future cooperation in all spheres of activity of the United Nations," Minister Darmanović concluded.
Daniela Gašparikova, acting resident coordinator of the UN and permanent representative of UNDP in Montenegro, points out that no country can deal with such challenges independently, no matter how strong it is.
"Pandemics, climate change and cybercrime know no borders. In a world connected like never before, a joint response to such challenges is more important than ever. The United Nations, as an organization with the greatest convening potential, represents the strongest forum for a multilateral response to global challenges." - said Gašparikova, recalling that during the past seven and a half decades, the world has achieved a lot thanks to the cooperation between countries. "Enormous steps have been achieved in education, disease control, but also the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger. Yet humanity's progress has been uneven, and perhaps the best indicator of this is the uneven response of health systems to COVID-19." - said Gašparikova, emphasizing that the pandemic has shown the importance of multilateralism and recalling the words of the UN Secretary General that "the global health system is only as strong as its weakest part".
On the 75th anniversary of the Organization, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres initiated a global dialogue with people from all over the world, so that the United Nations could hear their concerns and fears, but also their hopes, ideas and visions of the future. More than 13 million people from all over the world participated in the global dialogue, providing their views on possible directions of development.
"In that global dialogue, the voice of the people from Montenegro was also strongly heard, who clearly recognized the importance of international cooperation and global solidarity in responding to global challenges. More than 1% of the Montenegrin population actively joined the global dialogue, directly pointing to development priorities, growing challenges and possible solutions. They recognized solidarity, support for the most vulnerable and universal access to healthcare as key aspects of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They also pointed to the protection of human rights, preservation of the environment and employment as the main development priorities, while the leading global challenges recognized climate change, armed conflicts and health risks," reads the joint statement.
"The UN75 consultations showed that the citizens of Montenegro have a very clear and realistic view of global events and trends. The fact that they clearly recognize the importance of multilateralism is particularly encouraging, since the majority of participants marked international cooperation as essential in facing the key challenges that await us so that we can realize the vision of progress from the Sustainable Development Agenda until 2030 for future generations, which is based on the principle that no one it must not be left out" – concluded Gašparikova.
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