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Multilateralism is the only clear path for tackling today’s challenges, Romania tells UN

President Klaus Werner Iohannis of Romania addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-second session.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
President Klaus Werner Iohannis of Romania addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-second session.

Multilateralism is the only clear path for tackling today’s challenges, Romania tells UN

People across the globe suffer from war, poverty, inequality and injustice, the President of Romania told the United Nations General Assembly today, citing rising tensions over cultural identity and faith along with terrorist attacks, which deepen insecurity.

Noting that some perceive that the UN is not effectively managing the complexity of today’s crises, Klaus Werner Iohannis underscored that “no other path serves us better than multilateralism in finding viable solutions for the current global challenges.”

At the same time, he noted that the UN agenda not only covers conflicts and crises, but also sustainable development, promoting human rights and dealing with issues such as building a safe, sustainable planet and ensuring prosperity as the best way to prevent instability and crises. “Focusing our actions on people should remain the ultimate goal,” maintained Mr. Iohannis.

He cited the UN’s stabilizing role in setting broad parameters of international relations, as the reason why efforts to improve its effectiveness should remain strong. “We need a UN with robust policy planning capabilities, able to project visions for the global peace and well-being beyond the crises of the day,” he said declaring Romania’s support for an institutional structure for crisis management.

Against the backdrop of increasing violence and disinformation, Romania remains convinced that extremist trends facing youth today can only be countered through quality education, saying “The use of identity ‘fears’ and of the ‘us versus them’ paradigm cannot be left unanswered.”

Full statement available here