Chair,
Allow me to start by welcoming USG Pollard here today.
We stand ready to support you in the important work you do to serve this organization.
Chair,
A well-functioning, inclusive and representative multilateral system and a world order based on international law is a core interest for Norway.
The United Nations is, and will remain, the principal multilateral forum where all states have a seat at the table.
The importance of this organization makes certain demands of us all. We as member states need you, the UN Secretariat, to work in an effective, cost-efficient manner, to ensure that the organization can implement its mandates.
We as member states have an obligation to provide the UN with adequate guidance and funding – in short, we must all do our part, and we must all pay our share.
We must also provide the UN with the flexibility needed to effectively manage what has become an increasingly challenging financial situation. Norway has in the ongoing negotiations in this committee proposed several measures which will provide the UN Secretariat with the flexibility they have informed us that they need.
We are hoping that this committee can agree on these measures to ease the situation for the organization, but we are also aware that this will not solve the underlying cause of the liquidity crisis – that not all member states are paying in full and on time.
Chair,
Let me also touch briefly on the ongoing reform process of the Secretary-General’s UN80 Initiative. We need the SG to be bold, radical and ambitious in his approach, and we as member states must do our part in ensuring the success of this initiative.
This is how we use this moment in time to strengthen the UN system and create an organization which is more fit for today’s world, as well as for tomorrow’s.
I would like to emphasize that our goal is a stronger, more effective and more efficient UN, that has impact and delivers for us all – globally and locally.
Chair,
Allow me to close by stating the following: To ensure that we have a United Nations which is well-functioning, inclusive and representative, its funding needs to be adequate and predictable.
We strongly urge all member states to fulfill their financial obligations as is set out in the Charter: in full, on time and without conditions.
Thank you.