United Nations Security Council High Level Open Debate: "Futureproofing Trust for Sustaining Peace”
New York, 03.05.2023 - Statement by M. Ignazio Cassis, Minister of foreign affairs of Switzerland - check against delivery
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Allow me to make a statement in my capacity as representative of Switzerland.
First of all, I would like to thank the three speakers for their insights.
Recently, I went back to my old school to talk about foreign policy.
The students only asked me questions about the war and its consequences.
This made a deep impression on me:
I realised how different our questions were when I was a student attending that school myself, 45 years ago, in the late 1970s.
My classmates and I were convinced that there would never be another war in Europe.
Our teachers, our parents had lived through the Second World War; they swore to us that the international community had learned its lesson.
In 1992, Francis Fukuyama announced in his bestseller The End of History.
Globalisation was presented as a factor for peace.
As if the end of the Cold War and the economic interdependence would usher in a new era.
But today there is still war.
- How did we get here?
- How can we avoid being the ones who failed to react to the current crises?
Ladies and Gentlemen,
77 years ago, "united" nations, cemented by trust and the will to rebuild, said: Never again!
And yet.
Perhaps we were guilty of pretentiousness?
We have to admit that we have not sufficiently taken account the frustrations and changes taking place on both sides of our planet.
Yes, the multilateral system is under stress, but no, it is not bankrupt!
The real failure would be to do nothing.
It is time for the Security Council to grasp its responsibilities and to reflect on its potential for action in the face of the increasing number of crises.
It is time to refine our tools to restore confidence and consolidate a lasting peace. This is the objective of this debate organized by Switzerland: to rebuild the bridges that connect us.
Excellencies,
Where there is trust, anything is possible.
International law is based on the Latin phrase Pacta sunt servanda - agreements must be respected.
This principle embodies the mutual trust of parties who pledge their word, and keep it.
If we can restore this trust, I am convinced that we will be able to return to peace in the long term.
To achieve this, we need to focus on those areas where multilateralism has real added value.
- First, we must ensure that a common and respected normative framework, based on human rights and public international law, is applied.
Predictability, not arbitrariness, is the basis for trust.
Through trust, we can aim for a lasting peace.
- We will also need to consider how this Council can strengthen the foundations of a broader peace architecture.
This architecture must be inclusive and include those whom the population has designated as democratically legitimate.
It must also respect cultural differences and care for the historical heritage that defines us.
An imposed peace is not a sustainable peace.
- Finally, trust is built on concrete facts.
Science and new technologies offer us opportunities to better anticipate and understand the risks of today and the opportunities of tomorrow.
We must respond to the challenges of the 21st century with 21st century solutions.
Ladies and Gentlemen
Injustices and violations of the Charter do not justify the entrenchment of everyone behind their positions.
On the contrary:
Let us have the courage to question and rethink the system together, in order to make it better.
Strengthened by this conviction, Switzerland welcomes the initiative of the Secretary General who will propose, next month, a "New Agenda for Peace".
Excellencies,
Today's debate is a real opportunity to gather ideas and proposals from Member States and to take advantage of the synergies that unite us.
Confidence is earned through actions, not intentions!
It is in this spirit that I believe in the strength of multilateralism.
I thank you.
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