Global perspective Human stories

Paraguay’s Foreign Affairs Minister, at UN, urges ‘collective strategies’ to overcome global challenges

Foreign Minister Eladio Ramón Loizaga Lezcano of Paraguay, addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-first session.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
Foreign Minister Eladio Ramón Loizaga Lezcano of Paraguay, addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-first session.

Paraguay’s Foreign Affairs Minister, at UN, urges ‘collective strategies’ to overcome global challenges

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay, Eladio Ramón Loizaga Lezcano, told the United Nations General Assembly this afternoon that we live in a world that is increasingly more complex and interconnected, and in which the international context is continually evolving.

He noted that traditional armed conflicts have practically disappeared, while cowardly acts of terrorism have reached a global scale, characterized by a rise in groups that are each time more cruel and inhumane, and which do not respect fundamental rights and liberties. Added to that are problems of climate change and contamination, which continue to grow, as well as pandemics that threaten the planet, he said.

“These global challenges, which transcend physical boundaries and from which no State can escape, cannot be overcome individually; it is necessary to promote collective strategies with a common responsibility,” Mr. Loizaga said. “Also, we can’t lose sight of other challenges, such as eradicating poverty, fighting inequality and assuring a dignified life to all.”

For its part, the United Nations requires a reform that will bring it up to date and allow it to offer appropriate and effective responses to the complex scenarios the world faces, he said. The General Assembly should be strengthened, as the body represents the highest democratic expression of the nations that comprise it.

“It is the Parliament of the world,” Mr. Loizaga said, adding that the executive branch of the Organization – the Security Council – should also be strengthened.

Turning to his country, the Minister said Paraguay has given a strong impetus to infrastructure and is taking measures to improve the transparency and accountability of public institutions.

In addition, with one of the greatest populations of young persons in Latin America, Paraguay is convinced that it should prepare them for the challenge of continuing to create a better and more just society. For this reason, the Government of Paraguay has instituted a national programme for postgraduate scholarships, he said.