President of former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, says human rights must be at centre of global action
Promotion and protection of human rights, democracy and the rule of law must remain at the core of international action, the President of the Government of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia said today, lamenting that despite the fact that the United Nations has a robust human rights architecture, violations continue worldwide.
“The current blatant human rights violations around the globe, widespread impunity and lack of accountability, remind us that there is much to be done, Zoran Zaev told the annual high-level debate of the UN General Assembly.
He also said “monstrous terrorist attacks have increased. Our actions must focus on prevention of violent extremism and radicalization as major factors for terrorist recruitment.” In that regard, he welcomed the establishment of the new structure of the UN Office for Countering Terrorism where one of the priorities areas is prevention.
Turning next to the to the main theme of the debate, ‘Focusing on people: Striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet,’ Mr. Zaev said States must remain focused on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. “This remarkable undertaking laid the foundations for future development framework. This has implications on many other important areas of common concern.”
Many vital issues for global prosperity are related to implementation of the new Agenda, he said, and it is therefore important to continue to encourage and build new avenues of cooperation and new partnerships. “This is central for the integration of the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainability. These are the fundamentals for development, a hopeful future, and our peace, stability and security.”