Statement by
Mr. Ali Hajilari
First Counselor
of the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
At the Second Committee, 77th Session of the General Assembly
On the General Debate
New York, 4 October 2022
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Madam Chair,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
At the outset, allow me to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you on your election as the Chair of the Second Committee as well as to the other members of the Bureau on their election and assure you of my delegation’s full support and cooperation in fulfilling your mandate.
Furthermore, my delegation would like to align itself with the statement delivered by the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.
Dear Colleagues,
After more than three years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, international challenges as well as the global economic situation continue to deteriorate. We believe that in order to overcome today’s fragilities and challenges, we need stronger international cooperation and more effective multilateralism through which the collective interests of the member states, especially developing countries, are secured and promoted.
However, it is alarming that the unjust and unlawful unilateral approaches adopted by a few are undermining and threatening multilateralism when it is most needed. Taking these approaches while the entire world continues to grapple with the most devastating challenges, namely difficulties stemming from the pandemic, conflicts, climate change, hunger, poverty, economic crises, food insecurity, health challenges, widening inequalities and many others, is a crime against humanity and a total failure of multilateralism. As a matter of fact, we have to add the implementation of unilateral coercive measures to the top of the list of the main current global challenges.
Madam Chair,
The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly believes that the right to development and its full realization serves the best interests of the international community and paves the way for further promotion of all human rights throughout the world. Therefore, it is imperative to place the right to development at the top of our agenda so as to realize it for each and every subsequent goal. Unfortunately, the right to development has been heavily sacrificed to the narrow interest of the blind unilateralism.
Madam Chair,
Financing for development is now more than ever posed to challenges. The rampant blow to multilateralism has generated huge challenges for both “financing” and “development”. The unilateral sanctions and embargo policies by some major players cast doubt on the effectiveness of multilateral financing and trading systems. As such, the international community should ensure that financing for development in no way becomes hostage to the coercive and restrictive agenda of financier countries and organizations.
International trade continues to play a traditional role as an engine for economic growth, development and the prosperity of peoples and countries. We believe that this is the right of every sovereign state to be part of a universal, rules-based, open, transparent, predictable, inclusive, non-discriminatory multilateral trading system.
Excellencies,
Despite the imposed restrictions and obstacles, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been able to attain huge accomplishments in all fields of development by relying on its own internal resources, capacities and capabilities along with the tireless efforts of its valuable human resources without relying on others.
Regarding education, ending illiteracy and providing universal free public education up to secondary school has approached its full realization. The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran recognizes the right to free public education as the right of all members of society. In this regard, the Fundamental Reform Document of Education in the Islamic Republic of Iran was drafted and approved, based on the philosophy of Islamic and Iranian education while devising an Islamic-Iranian paradigm for change.
From a quality perspective, the new education system aims to transform a memory-oriented system to one focusing on research, skills, creativity and training, taking into account national cultural and religious values as well as education.
Pertaining to women and their participation in social as well as economic sectors, currently, 27% of faculty members, more than 50% of college students and almost 37% of medical doctors are women. At the decision-making level, there has been a 60% increase in women's appointments. On water, currently, 99% of the urban population and 93% of the rural population in Iran have access to safe drinking water.
Official records in Iran show that the goal for access to energy and energy for all is close to its full achievement.
As far as climate change mitigation and adaptation are concerned, the special circumstances of my Country under illegitimate and unilateral sanctions have left no access to the means of implementation for climate action under the Convention. Despite all of these obstacles, the strategy of a low carbon economy is one of the environmental mandates stated by our supreme leader under which Iran has made significant strides in transforming to low carbon economy. Iran, amongst other policies and programs in moving towards emission mitigation and adaptation, has been able to provide access to natural gas to 95 percent of its population.
Here, I would like to reiterate that ‘Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities in the light of different national circumstance’ in all matters related to climate change are vital. In view of the historically different contributions to global environmental degradation, developed countries must acknowledge the responsibility they bear in the international pursuit of sustainable development.
In the field of natural disasters, Iran has been committed to play an important role and has a notable share in helping vulnerable countries to be more resilient against such disasters. In this connection, Iran is hosting the UNESCAP Center for Development of Disaster Information Management (APDIM) and voluntarily funding its activities.
I would also like to refer to one of the most important challenges our Country and countries across the larger region face: sand and dust storms. According to the numerous reports of the United Nations and Specialized Agencies, more than two-thirds of the countries around the world suffer from this environmental challenge at different degrees. When it comes to our region, our share of dust is more severe, more frequent and more complex due to interconnectedness between drought, desertification, unsustainable development plans and countless more factors. Yet, unfortunately, this issue remained a blind spot for the international community, often treated as a regional or local concern.
Iran, with its arid land, faces the thickest barrier of sand in some parts for a large portion of the dry season. A comprehensive national plan has been put in place to deal with desertification and drought as well as to address the harmful effects of sand and dust storms. This is exactly where the entire UN development system must assist countries in the region in order to address the issue and mitigate the harmful effects of these storms. We extend our hands to all in the region to join the UN Coalition to Combat Dust and Sand Storms for a collective approach to the issue.
Dear colleagues,
Distinguished Delegates,
For more than four decades, my Country has generously hosted millions of refugees, displaced persons, migrants and foreign aliens in the absence of international support and simultaneously with the harshest unilateral sanctions ever imposed on a country. In this context, we have provided facilities for their education, nutrition and health without any discrimination. Iran's efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic to vaccinate this population reflects the extent of the responsibility and firm belief of the Islamic Republic of Iran in creating sustainable development for all nations. The international community, especially developed countries, must fulfill their international responsibility in this regard.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has suffered billions of dollars as well as high spiritual costs, including thousands of martyrs and injured, in order to help regional and global security in various fields in the fight against narcotic drugs. In this regard, it is necessary that all countries, including regional and international institutions that benefit from the actions taken by Iran, extend their effective support based on the principle of joint responsibility to prevent the increase of the huge flood of drugs as well as the spread of regional and global insecurity.
Madam Chair,
Iran stands for a transparent and effective UN Development System because we believe that it has a key role to play in supporting countries in achieving sustainable development and overcoming their development challenges. However, in order to respond effectively to the multiple and interlinked crises facing developing countries, there is a dire need for the UN Development System to have access to predictable, adequate and sustainable financial resources and, at the same time, make sure that those relevant resources and financial aid will be allocated to developing countries free of discrimination and without taking into account political considerations. We insist that the eradication of poverty must remain the overarching focus of the UN Development System. Basic principles such as national ownership and leadership are of critical importance for the delivery of effective results. We believe that there should not and cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach and that each country program must be reflective of the realities as well as needs of the program country.
Madam Chair,
If we want to see the realization of the sustainable development in the foreseeable future, we must first identify and understand the root causes and roadblocks preventing progress towards development. Once these problems are identified, there is a need to make strong commitments and undertake concrete actions to remove them in a way that no one and no country will be left behind.
To fill the widening gap between the current state of development and our prospective target, there is an urgent need to garner political will, international solidarity and leadership in order to remove all obstacles on the path of development. This is only possible through the recognition of the right to development as an inalienable right and provision of adequate, predictable and sustainable means of implementation, including access to finance, technology transfer and capacity building for developing countries. Above all, the Islamic Republic of Iran deems the immediate removal of unlawful unilateral coercive measures and illegal unilateral sanctions essential for the achievement of real sustainable development.