Brunei Darussalam's Foreign Minister Addresses UN General Assembly on Peace, Development, and Human Rights

Brunei's Commitment to the UN and Multilateralism

• 🇧🇳 Brunei Darussalam, represented by Minister for Foreign Affairs II Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, brings greetings from His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah to the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.
• 🤝 The Minister congratulates the President and commends the Secretary General, emphasizing the UN's 80th anniversary as a time for reflection and renewal.
• 🌍 For small states like Brunei, UN membership signifies sovereignty, dignity, and equality, making their commitment to the organization unwavering.

UN's Historical Achievements and Brunei's Role

• ✨ The UN has a history of preventing conflicts, supervising elections, eradicating diseases like smallpox, and leading global climate action through initiatives like the Sustainable Development Goals.
• 🌊 The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea is highlighted as the "constitution of the oceans."
• 🇦🇸 Brunei contributes to regional peace through ASEAN and international cooperation via APEC and Belt and Road Initiatives, hosting the ASEAN Center for Climate Change.
• 🕊️ Brunei has a history of contributing to peace through humanitarian aid and peacekeeping, including support for Aceh tsunami relief and participation in UN missions in Lebanon.

Critiques of the UN Security Council and the Situation in Palestine

• ⚠️ The Security Council is criticized for being paralyzed by vetoes and divided by interests, failing to act in the face of grave injustice, particularly in Palestine.
• 🇵🇸 The inaction in Gaza is described as a betrayal of the UN's founding vow of "never again," citing indiscriminate bombings, forced displacements, and collective punishments.
• ⚖️ Brunei supports Security Council reform to make it more representative, transparent, and accountable, advocating for the eventual elimination of the veto.
• 🕊️ Recognizing the state of Palestine and supporting its full UN membership is presented as a matter of principle, justice, and humanity.

The Imperative of "Better Together"

• 🤝 The theme "Better together" underscores the responsibility to renew faith in multilateralism and strengthen the UN's three pillars: peace and security, human rights, and development.
• 🌐 For small states, multilateralism is a lifeline to confront global challenges like climate change, pandemics, and inequality.
• 🌟 The UN at 80 represents a promise to be better together, ensuring no voice is silenced and no nation is left behind, reaffirming commitment to the UN Charter and international law.