LUCA BECCARI, Minister for Foreign Affairs of San Marino, underlining the importance of the United Nations Charter and the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, highlighted the General Assembly resolution where the international community strongly condemned the aggression against Ukraine and demanded the Russian Federation immediately stop its military aggression and fully respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence.  All involved parties must renounce the use of force and reopen the channels of dialogue and negotiation, he stressed, adding:  “No one should remain indifferent to war, but rather we should all work responsibly to create the conditions for dialogue and peace with the full involvement of international institutions.”  While reaffirming the responsibility to protect, he also reiterated his country’s full commitment to the obligations under human and humanitarian law and its support to the International Criminal Court.  He also voiced his support for initiatives such as the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group’s Code of Conduct on Security Council action against genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity and the declaration by France and Mexico on voluntary veto restraint. 

As a member of the Group of Friends on Children and Armed Conflict, he stressed the need to strengthen child protection capacities and encouraged Member States to adopt relevant protection instruments, including the Paris Principles and the Safe Schools Declaration.  Noting that children and youth are uniquely — and often disproportionately — affected by conflicts and atrocities, he commended the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict and her Office’s commitment to the protection of women and girls and the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence.  As well, persons with disabilities should be taken into account; barriers to information, evacuation and emergency assistance should be lifted.  He condemned the deliberate attacks against schools, hospitals, places of worship, journalists, humanitarian workers, human rights defenders and peacekeepers.  He also condemned the Russian Federation’s dangerous nuclear rhetoric, stating:  “Any threat of use of nuclear weapons is unacceptable and of the utmost concern.”  Recalling his country’s participation in the tenth Review Conference of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and in the first Meeting of State Parties, he expressed his regret that they did not adopt the final document and urged all States to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. 

Turning to the effects of conflicts, he noted San Marino has welcomed more than 300 Ukrainian refugees, which is equal to 1 per cent of the entire Sammarinese population.  Armed conflicts displace farmers, destroy agricultural assets and food stocks and disrupt markets, vital services, supply chains and prices.  The international community must address food security and continue to incentivize sustainable production, supply and consumption to make healthy diets less costly and more affordable for all.  As the promoter of the General Assembly resolution establishing 29 September as the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, he reiterated his country’s stance that fighting food loss and waste will promote food security and welcomed all awareness-raising initiatives.  Climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and armed conflicts all threaten the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.  Citing the Secretary-General’s Our Common Agenda report, he called for the United Nations to adapt quickly and the Security Council to reform.