Denis Sassou-N’Guesso, President of the Republic of Congo, said that it is regrettable that, 80 years after its founding, the United Nations faces a resurgence of armed conflict worldwide, with the language of weapons winning out over good sense and diplomacy.  This is a failure of a collective promise to forge a world free of scourge of war; it is also a sign of a weakened and sometimes powerless international system.  The primacy of law in international affairs must be reaffirmed, he said, with the UN becoming a more effective tool for conflict prevention and mediation.

He reiterated his country’s staunch support for the two-State solution in the Middle East as well as its support for the Cuban people exhausted by decades of an incomprehensible embargo.  Tensions among great powers are fragmenting the world, fuelling distrust between nations, weakening international solidarity and undermining the capacity to tackle great global challenges.  “Economic competition must not transform into systemic confrontation,” he said, pointing to instability in commodity markets and disturbances in supply chains, adding that multilateralism is threatened by “national egotism” and unilateral policies.

UN organs must be reformed, starting with the Security Council, to make them more representative, transparent and closer to world realities, he continued.  “Africa cannot remain marginalized” and it deserves permanent representation on the Council, not as a favour but as a legitimate partner.  He drew attention to unsustainable debt and unfair trade rules, stating that there can be no lasting peace without development and vice versa. Climate change is a big challenge that transcends borders and compels entire families to tread the path of exile, he said, declaring that commitments under the Paris Agreement must be respected alongside massive support for the most vulnerable countries.  Moreover, climate must not become a new factor that divides North and South, he stated.

While millions still live in extreme poverty, the world today is gripped by a disturbing arms race, with global military spending at record levels, disarmament treaties called into question and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, particular nuclear weapons, a central concern. “This is a dangerous slide in every way and it is not making the world any safer — on the contrary,” he said, warning of the risk of a conflagration spinning out of control and calling for global disarmament.  He went on to say that the UN remains crucial, but only if it evolves, reforms itself, moves closer to the people and responds to the myriad challenges of the moment.