Daily Times

Despite United Nations’ many successes since its creation in 1945, the organization has failed to secure the right to self-determination and liberation from foreign occupation for the peoples of Palestine and Kashmir, Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram has said.

“The ongoing slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza by the Israeli bombardment and the massive violations of human rights of the people of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir are the most visible examples of the UN’s failures,” he said in a message to the UN community on the world body’s 79th anniversary.

In this regard, the Pakistani envoy called for reinforcing the UN’s capacity to respond to the old and new threats to international peace and security, to halt and reverse emerging great power tensions and the new nuclear and conventional arms race, to revive equitable and inclusive global economic growth, and to avert the existential threat posed by climate change.

“Despite the enormity of these challenges, the hopes of most of the world’s peoples, especially the youth, remain pinned on the United Nations and on its active and sincere Secretary General.”

In the past 78 years, Ambassador Akram pointed out that the UN has played a vital role in preventing another global conflict, resolving numerous disputes, and promoting international peace and security, arms control, economic and social development and human rights around the world, adding that the organization had remained the international community’s primary platform for cooperation amongst nation states for peace, progress and prosperity.

The UN has adapted its structures considerably in response to emerging challenges and threats, in particular shifting its efforts from decolonization in the early years to equitable development, through the universally accepted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Pakistani envoy said.

“While the UN can take justifiable pride in its many successes during the last 78 years, it has also fallen short of its Charter’s vision in several ways. Most importantly, it failed to prevent aggression, for instance against Pakistan in 1971…”

Pakistan, he said, has a firm and abiding commitment to uphold the principles and purposes of the United Nations, and the country has played an active and leading role consistently in advancing the role of the United Nations in the pursuit of world peace, security and prosperity.

“Pakistan will continue to play this role in the future, including in the ongoing preparations for the “Summit of the Future” next year,” Ambassador Akram said.

“On this day, we reaffirm our resolve to uphold the enduring purposes and principles of the UN Charter and continue the endeavour to realize the full and positive potential of the Organisation in the service of humanity’s aspirations for a peaceful and prosperous future.”