Mia Amor Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados, said that of all the crises facing the world, there is one deeper crisis undermining global institutions:  the crisis of truth.  “When we lose shared trust, our global society loses its centre of gravity,” she asserted, and political tribalism takes hold.  Trust between neighbours, the governed and the governing in institutions, in the social order, in health systems, in global rules and governance structures — “it all seems to be falling apart”.  Without truth and trust, “news becomes spectacle, and science becomes just another opinion”.  The world today resembles that of 100 years ago, evidenced by the closing of borders to goods and people and magnified by geopolitical tensions.  “Disturbingly, war only entered the daily lexicon of the West not when thousands were dying on the continent of Africa but when war became a reality in Ukraine.”

She drew attention to the hundreds of thousands of people trapped in the Sudanese city of El Fasher and the “genocidal destruction” taking place in Gaza.  “It is happening now on our watch.”  The world needs a reset, firstly by deciding whether there is still agreement on the values that inform the Charter.  As well as multiple conflicts, other issues threaten the planet’s stability, including the climate crisis, food insecurity, water scarcity, the mass flows of refugees and displaced persons, poverty, inequality and unregulated artificial intelligence.  The UN has not done better because countries have lacked the political will to live by the Charter and “do what is right by humanity”.  The Charter was designed to promote compassion, equality and fairness, and this is why the rules-based system must be maintained.  If one country or a few leave the order, that does not mean it cannot continue, she said.

There is a case for making efficiency gains at the UN, but once that is done, members must “put their money where their mouth is” and provide the funds to deliver the desired results.  “We must [...] understand that we can no longer complain about the absence or behaviour of a country and not ourselves be prepared to make wrong things right. It is as simple as that.”  She highlighted the successes of international commitments, including on pandemics, financial elements of the Sustainable Development Goals, combating antimicrobial resistance, oceans and biodiversity.  Barbados sees no future without a rules-based system.  The UN is still working, but not at optimum levels.  There is still much to do on climate and finance, on which debates risk being reduced to performative exercises.

Common ground must be found on climate.  She proposed focusing on emissions, including working on a legally binding framework on methane to reverse global temperatures. Global initiatives must be people-focused and delivery-driven, providing the global population with the peace, security and quality of life it deserves and is increasingly demanding.  The Council must be reformed to reflect the multipolar world that now exists.  “You really cannot ask us to show up for family photos and votes when you need them and then exclude us from the family’s decision-making as if you are the grown-ups and we are the children,” she said.  She highlighted the crisis in Haiti and called for dialogue, particularly engaging the United States on the flow of small arms and light weapons.  On the military build-up in the Caribbean, she warned of its risks and said there must be greater effort for dialogue to prevent war.