Countries are increasingly pinning higher expectations on the UN to strengthen collective global leadership and deliver concrete resultsJakarta (ANTARA) - On the 75th commemoration of the anniversary of the United Nations (UN), Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi encouraged the international body to bolster its relevance and adaptation in facing global challenges.
Foreign Minister Marsudi reiterated that the world was harboring greater expectations from the UN to strengthen global leadership and offer real benefits to the wider community.
"Countries are increasingly pinning higher expectations on the UN to strengthen collective global leadership and deliver concrete results," she affirmed.
The Indonesian foreign minister delivered the statement while participating virtually in the high-level meeting of the general assembly to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the UN, according to a written statement issued by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and received here on Tuesday.
The meeting is part of a series of the 75th UN General Assembly meetings. Disparate to the earlier commemoration of the UN establishment, this year's celebration is modest and muted since the world is still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Themed "The Future We Want, the United Nations We Need: Reaffirming Our Collective Commitment to Multilateralism", the 75th anniversary of the UN is aimed at charting a path to a better future for the world and bolstering efficiency to tackle varied global challenges.
Marsudi drew attention to the increasingly bigger challenges of multilateral cooperation in recent times, with rising rivalry and unilateralism policies from several countries.
The minister emphasized that such condition cannot be tolerated, as it will increasingly marginalize some countries. "Without multilateralism, 'the mighty takes all' will prevail," Minister Marsudi noted.
To this end, the Indonesian foreign minister offered two important suggestions.
"Firstly, the UN system must deliver beyond rhetoric. Its programs must be meaningful and impactful. In addressing the pandemic for the short term, facilitating access to affordable medication and vaccines to all is crucial," Marsudi emphasized.
The minister stated that the UN should also synergize with other international institutions to expedite global economic recovery.
"In the long term, the UN must work towards global economic resilience and further strengthen the global health system," she noted.
The second suggestion offered by the minister was for the UN to remain fit-for-purpose and become better adept at taking precautionary measures in future.
"This necessitates the UN to be efficient and adaptive to a changing world, with a strong early warning capacity," Marsudi stated.
At the high-level meeting, Declaration of the 75th Anniversary of the UN was made that contained a commitment to adopting concrete measures globally to usher in peace and international cooperation in various fields.
On September 23, at around 7 a.m. Western Indonesian Time, President Joko Widodo will deliver a virtual speech during the 75th General Debate at the UN Assembly Session.
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