Spain’s leader lauds General Assembly as ‘hub’ of international system

The President of Spain today hailed the General Assembly as the centre of multilateralism, highlighting its universal nature and the equal status enjoyed within it by all 193 Member States of the United Nations.

“This General Assembly is the hub of the international system. Here, we all have the same rights, regardless of our size, population and economic development: this is the organ of the United Nations that embodies the sovereign equality of States,” Mariano Rajoy Brey told the high-level debate of the General Assembly.

“Here, we are all permanent members and it is here where multilateralism takes on its full meaning and effect.”

Mr. Rajoy said Spain is fully committed to the UN because it subscribes completely to the purposes and principles the Organization embodies.

“Our commitment to the United Nations is not mere rhetoric: Spain is the sixth largest contributor to the UN budget, in both mandatory and voluntary contributions,” he noted.

Along with its commitment to multilateralism, Spain would like to see a more decisive and efficient Organization, said the President, adding that a key element in this regard is the reform of the Security Council.

“This reform can only be achieved from a broad consensus founded on the principles of accountability, transparency and cooperation, seeking to provide greater legitimacy and support for the Council’s actions,” he stated.

“It is also necessary to bring the Organization into line with its means and to rationalize resources so that, together, we may achieve more with less,” he said. As such, Spain supported the progress being made toward system-wide coherence within the UN and the concept of ‘delivering as one’.

Spain, Mr. Rajoy added, has announced its candidacy to become a non-permanent member of the Security Council from 2015 to 2016. “We have a single goal: the defence of human dignity. All our efforts for peace, freedom, democracy, justice, human rights and sustainable development are directed toward that goal.

“Spain knows that its defence of human dignity will be more effective through the United Nations, just as the General Assembly of the United Nations knows that, in this endeavour, it can count on Spain.”