Philip Edward Davis, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance of the Bahamas, said that United Nations, while not perfect, is the best multilateral tool that exists.  “The flaw is not in the hammer, but in the hand that lets it fall,” he continued.  Demonstrating its commitment to finding solutions, the Bahamas will run for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the 2032-33 term to be a voice for all small States.  He addressed the “agony of the Middle East”, stressing that both the Palestinian people and Israel have the right to security, sovereignty and peace.  The two-State solution remains the only pathway to justice and stability.

“We do not have the luxury of re-starting an esoteric conversation about the causes of climate change,” he said of the “existential” threat to his country.  A tropical storm is currently heading towards his country and it cannot rely on luck.  Though it must adapt, the island State has a population of 400,000 with a 12 billion-dollar economy and does not have the resources.  To contrast, the Bahamas also has the “cleanest air in the world and emits far less than 1 per cent of carbon generated by human activity,” he said, calling for greater action.  “Is it really too much to ask of those most responsible, to change their behaviour so that the rest of us might have a better chance at survival?” he asked.

He condemned the decades-long embargo on Cuba, declaring:  “The time has come.  Lift the embargo”.  On Haiti, he said that, though important, the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) under Kenyan leadership needs support to stem the threat of “violence and lawlessness”.  The world must act, he said, calling for a dedicated United Nations Support Office for Haiti.  “We cannot claim fidelity to peace and, at the same time ignore Haiti,” he stressed.

“The lessons of history are clear,” he said, warning against isolationist protectionism “where might is right and the resources of the planet are plundered for the few”. Increasing sanctions and trade barriers will collapse supply claims, raise the cost of living for all, creating the same conditions that fuelled the rise of fascism during the Second world War. The security and prosperity of all in the world remains interconnected, he noted, adding that “even if we do not agree on the causes […] our storms and hurricanes are your fires and floods.”