MAIA SANDU, President of the Republic of Moldova, emphasizing the importance of multilateralism, pointed out that the world today faces extraordinary challenges, which spill over national borders and can only be solved together.  Outlining several global challenges, she added that her country had experienced some of them first-hand and was ready to work with the United Nations and the international community to find sustainable solutions.

On the pandemic, she noted that the Republic of Moldova had witnessed global solidarity that helped her country contain the virus.  “We now have a sufficient supply of vaccines for our citizens,” she said, adding that the greatest task ahead was to promote immunization, relaunch economies and reopen society.  Turning to climate change, she spotlighted her country’s low footprint, adding that she pledged to keep that level in a sustainable manner by undertaking concrete actions, including the expansion of forests, transitioning to a green economy and promoting clean energy, as well as preserving water and land resources.

She went on to express serious concern regarding the deteriorating security situation in the Black Sea region.  Stressing that the Republic of Moldova was a State committed to peace, she added:  “We remain firmly committed to identifying a peaceful, political solution to the conflict in the Transnistrian region of our country, based on Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.”  Underlining confidence-building measures that emphasize the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms in the region, she said that her country’s position on the complete and unconditional withdrawal of the Russian forces and the removal or destruction of ammunitions from the Cobasna stockpiles remained unchanged.  “We count on the support of the international community in this endeavour,” she said, drawing attention to the security and environmental threat posed by these ammunitions.

Against that backdrop, she also called attention to the dangers posed by disinformation to the rules-based international order, urging that a global conversation take place to look for concrete solutions.  Another factor eroding democracy and undermining people’s trust was corruption that disproportionately affected poor States.  Referring to the recent past, when corruption transformed the Republic of Moldova into a captured State, she pointed to her country’s experience overthrowing corrupt regimes and urged that the international community design, apply and rigorously monitor systems to promote international transparency and accountability.  “We need to join efforts to combat money-laundering and investigate illicit financial flows,” she said, outlining the Republic of Moldova’s recent progress in reforming the justice sector, launching a significant infrastructure build-up and on connecting her country to the rest of Europe.

Underlining the complexity of global challenges, she saluted the Secretary‑General’s report, Our Common Agenda, as a forward-looking blueprint for an enhanced global cooperation to effectively address the common challenges.  “Only through solidarity and closer international cooperation we will […] be able to overcome current and emerging challenges,” she stated.