Remarks by United Nations Resident Coordinator Marc-André Franche on UN Day 2023

Honorable Tharaka Balasuriya, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs;

Honorable Shehan Semasinghe, State Minister of Finance;

Excellencies; senior government officials, partners and dear UN Colleagues;

I am delighted to welcome you to the United Nations Compound in Colombo.

My sincere appreciation to my colleagues in the UN Country Team, the UN Communications Group and our V-Force volunteers who have been instrumental in making this event possible. 

On United Nations Day we commemorate the entry into force of the UN Charter, 78 years ago today.  An extraordinary accomplishment by historic standards, resolving that power alone will no longer govern relations between states but that a rules-based international order can maintain peace, foster solidarity and ensure collective prosperity.

While there are plenty of shortcomings and setbacks this proposition has also delivered. Notably, significant reductions of extreme poverty, the eradication of diseases, the end of wars and the building of strong international public goods and institutions improving the lives of millions.

Importantly, as we celebrate this year the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we must remember how much worse humanity would be today without this fundamental covenant.  There can be no peace without development, and no development without peace, and neither can be achieved without respect for human rights.

As our world becomes increasingly multipolar and global challenges like climate change or pandemic prevention become more daunting and increasingly interdependent, we need to reform this system, so it reflects better how power is organized today but also strengthen solidarity, cooperation, and trust in this rules-based international order.

Countries like Sri Lanka have much to gain from these reforms and I am glad the country is playing an important role in this regard. President Ranil Wickramasinghe in his General Assembly intervention called specially on Permanent Members of the Council to reform the multilateral machinery.

He heeded the call of the Secretary-General to restructure the international financial architecture, starting with the mechanisms to confront indebtedness, which are central in achieving the SDGs and addressing climate change.

He also reiterated his call on developed countries to assume their share of the common but differentiated responsibility to provide assistance for adaptation and compensation for loss and damage.

The UN team in Sri Lanka is committed in supporting those efforts helping roll out new innovative financing instruments for climate or driving adaptation efforts regionally and in Sri Lanka which we hope can gather momentum with the upcomming COP28 in Dubai.

Ladies and gentlemen,

This year, we mark not only the 78th anniversary of the Charter, but also the halfway point of our commitment to the 2030 Agenda.  Globally, less than 15% of our goals are on track.

As I begin my tenure, I’m struck by the extraordinary strengths and assets of this country and its people.

Long before the SDGs, or for the older colleagues the MDGs, you understood the value of human development and achieved enviable standards in health and education through strong public institutions.  The country also counts on such a broad set of bright minds devoted to the public good.  And, your strong democratic tradition driven by a vocal and dynamic civil society are impressive. 

Now, as the Sustainable Development Council articulated in its SDG scorecard, the multiple crises have resulted in regressions of several SDGs.

The poverty rate has nearly doubled since the start of the economic crisis.

Results from Sri Lanka’s first National Citizen Survey suggests that more than half of the population is vulnerable.

While we need to recognize the tremendous efforts done by Sri Lanka to stabilize its economy with the support of the IMF and the international community, the increased sense of stability needs to be accompanied by concrete improvements in the daily lives of most Sri Lankans.

We are encouraged by the numerous commitments about rebuilding trust between citizens and the state which are at the heart of peacebuilding efforts and a condition for sustainable development.

The United Nations and the international community cannot resolve those challenges. Sri Lankan authorities, leaders, civil society and businesses have significant assets, knowledge, experience and resources to do so.

But we can serve as a strong platform for dialogue and cooperation and accompany these efforts.

We can facilitate multilateral solutions that involve a wide range of stakeholders driving positive change. For example:

• Responding to the economic crisis with a humanitarian program which reached 3.1 million Sri Lankans last year,
  
   
• Facilitating resettlement and livelihood solutions, for those still displaced or returnees in the North and East;
  
   
• Supporting small farmers and fishermen improve productivity and raise food security;
  
   
• Institutionalizing ways to make the tax system and budget process more equitable and aligned with the SDGs;
  
   
• Tackling transnational crime and smuggling of persons improving maritime security;
  
   
• Driving climate adaptation though better water management;
  
   
• Rolling out the Global Compact for Migration or;
  
   
• Accompanying efforts towards women empowerment and the prevention of gender-based violence.

The initiatives and businesses we supported which are around you today are great examples of those collective efforts to accelerate the SDGs.

Allow me to thank our implementing partners here today, many of whom have come from across the country to showcase their initiatives but also all those Member States who make our work possible. 

I would also like to thank the Honorable Tharaka Balasuriya, the Honorable Shehan Semasinghe and many Government partners for joining us in this commemoration.

Your presence is a testament to the long-standing partnership between Sri Lanka and the United Nations and to the enduring support of Sri Lankans for the principles and values of the Charter.

Thank you for your steadfast commitment to multilateralism, international cooperation, and the United Nations.

Finally, I wish to thank my dear UN colleagues.

As I have settled into my role here, I have come to deeply appreciate the extraordinary work you continue to accomplish for all Sri Lankans, at times in challenging circumstances.  

Your values and your resilience not only drives our mission forward but also stands as a beacon of hope for the communities we serve.

I also take a solemn moment to remember the UN colleagues who lost their lives serving this organisation this last year.  Most recently, we mourn the 35 colleagues we lost in these last two weeks while providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.  May all heed the call from the Secretary-General for an immediate ceasefire, full humanitarian access and a political solution.

Dear colleagues,

As we look to the second half of our journey towards the 2030 Agenda — let today be a moment to re-strategize and renew our commitment to the principles of the UN Charter.

Thank you very much.