David McLachlan-Karr Addressed to the International Symposium on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence of the Joint Council of the International Cooperation Center (Full Text)
(Receiving date: 9 June 2024)
David McLachlan-Karr,
Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Development Coordination Office
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Let me thank the Joint Council of the International Cooperation Center for your kind invitation to address in this important symposium today. You have gathered to discuss the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, a set of principles first put forward by the People's Republic of China way back in 1954. This principle were elaborated upon a year later at the Bandung Conference and serve as the basis for the creation of the Global Non-Aligned Movement. Our Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres has said that our organization, the united nations, is founded on the pursuit of peace and indeed, coexistence in nations practicing tolerance and living together in peace with one another as good neighbors, lies at the heart of the united nations charter. But today's world sees geopolitical tensions and conflict, instability causing multilateralism to face increasing stress and human suffering on a huge scale. We also face a triple planetary crisis, with climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution creating risks that pay little respect for national boundaries and then a compounding for all countries, including here in Asia and the Pacific region. All of these challenges pull achieving the sustainable development goals SDGs by 2030 at risk, with the Asia Pacific region now 32 years behind schedule at the current pace of achievement. With this, we are all reminded that there can be no peace without development, no development without peace, and neither without respect for human rights.
While challenges remain, China is a major part of the Asia Pacific region, is a dynamic nation, has been an engine room of economic growth for the region and the world over the past decades with its notable progress on poverty reduction and other important social and economic advances. China is now sharing some of these lessons and from your achievements with other countries through mechanisms such as those of south-south cooperation. China has also emerged among other nations in Asia as a leader in solar energy and electric vehicles technologies that are solely needed in our planet right now in the transition to cleaner energy. However, we must remember that no single country or region can achieve the sustainable development goals alone. Progress is indeed possible, but only if we mobilize at speed at scale and if we do so in partnership together. This includes a more equitable international financial architecture that tackles the fiscal constraints borrowing costs and debt burdens faced by lower and low income countries. Here we must revitalize international cooperation at a time when multilateralism seems increasingly have to threat. The upcoming summit of the future in september this year provides us with this very opportunity where China will have an important role to play in helping us shape a new global consensus on how we deliver a better present and how do we together, safeguard the future of our planet.
In China, the UN development system along with our resident coordinator Sid Chatterjee and the entire UN country team remain your trusted partner in helping to strengthen capacities of policy mobilize resources and identify the development priorities that will propel China towards SDGs achievement. I have to count on your efforts as we enter an urgent new phase of SDGs acceleration throughout our region. And meanwhile, let us continue to work together as partners for peace, dignity, and equality on a healthy planet. May I wish you and the organizers every success and the most productive of deliberations today.
Thank you all for your kind attention! Thank You！
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