Speech by Prime Minister Edi Rama at the United Nations General Assembly
Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
For more than seven decades since this podium was raised to withstand the weight of the entire world’s concerns, and about more than half a century since the gloomy events of the Cold War, bright promises of democratic reconstruction in the aftermath of the Berlin Wall, and caring for the needy, as was the case with Kosovo Albanians in the face the late 1990s genocide have passed through these walls.
Still, even in this74th session of the General Assembly, this hall has again witnessed a dozens of complaining voices, various diverging worldviews and a substantial number of predictions on incoming threats.
Many years after the end of such history and vast enthusiasm on globalism prevailed, we underwent the worst economic recession since the Great Depression of 1930, experienced the rise of the violent extremism and terrorism beginning with Al Qaeda that killed nearly 3000 innocent people on 9/ 11 and got exposed to a climate change whose effects are felt in the air we breathe in 21st century. Globalism can be criticized or endorsed – after all, that doesn’t matter. What matters is that it exists. Nationalism might sound an appealing alternative at times – and so it appears especially nowadays – but the range of issues we together face is essentially trans-national.
Willy-nilly, we find ourselves in a context where the lines between national interests and global priorities are largely blurred, if not entirely dissolved.
The world we live in offers us ever-increasing opportunities, not only the promise of prospects, but at the same time, new threats are emerging in the horizon, and new risks come to the fore.
Even worse, some of these threats and risks, no matter how well-articulated they are, often fail to get the proper response. We live with an ozone layer that is thickening and a climate that is melting icebergs.
While security mechanisms have been sophisticated and intelligence mechanisms were improved, illegal immigration radicalization and extremism organized crime and human smuggling have not challenged just our security environments but also the quality of our democracy. This range of issues clearly requires the mobilization of national capacities but also a much more efficient interaction in the transnational level.
Mr. President,
Last Friday, I had to cancel my flight to New York while landing in Frankfurt, because my country was struck by a powerful earthquake. The country has been severely damaged – but thank God – no lives were lost. As if that were not enough, just before the aftershocks had subsided, the country was hit by storm and torrential rains that deteriorated the situation and made it even more unbearable for the vulnerable people.
Science has progressed a lot – whether for good or bad this goes well beyond this discussion – but not enough as to be able to predict the emergence of earthquakes in advance.
However, although this is the case with earthquakes, this is certainly does not apply to climate change, the deterioration of which can be dealt beforehand in a number of ways.
Anyhow, no country on earth is sufficiently immune to the hostilities of distorted nature, neither strong enough to cope with it. So I am pleased to inform you that Albania has been working hard on achieving the United Nations’ global goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 45% in the next decade, and to net zero emissions by 2050 in accordance with Paris Agreement of 2016.
In addition, we have adopted the Strategy on Climate Change (NSCC), Mitigation Action Plan (MAP) of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change (NAP).
This makes Albania the first and the only country in the Western Balkans to have a consolidated strategy on Climate Change. We have undertaken a number of many other initiatives to keep our sky blue and make the horizon of our future look greener.
New energy efficiency standards in construction, a ban on non-degradable plastic bags, a moratorium on hunting and logging, and a growing tree planting campaign are only part of our ambition to make Albania a leading example in the Green Agenda.
This endeavour in fact also serves as a reminder that the climate action requires daily commitment. This is true of climate change, but this is certainly true when it comes to that other great concern we all share about the world today: security.
There is saying – from a long experienced army general, if I am not mistaken – that there are two countries in the world: small countries and the countries that are not aware that in the end of the day they are still small.
Albania might be a small country from a global perspective, but, yet, is aware of its global responsibility. Since a decade of NATO membership, regardless of the vast challenges it has faced, Albania has deployed its troops in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Latvia, Mali and Afghanistan in order to leave a mark in a world that should be safer and anticipate the future that must be brighter.
Only few months ago, two Albanian soldiers who served in NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence in Latvia, lost their life in line while dismantling explosives. Albania proudly remembers them today – in world’s largest gathering of all nations. Their martyrdom is a universal reminder of the noblest of causes:
protection of freedom security and providing security to maintain freedom.
Regardless of such tragic loss which hurts deeply and left a void in our souls,
Albania still expresses its deep willingness and its firm readiness to take up new responsibilities in Iraq in order to support its stabilization efforts.
After the triumph on the ISIL was declared, each of the nations gathered here shall be aware of the risks that come along with post-Caliphate metamorphosis – that is, small terrorist groups that might seem to have finally disappeared but still retain their capacity to launch brutal attacks.
The size of the territory, neither its geographic location, does not prevent world’s nations from carrying out the responsibilities they have and meeting obligations that are required.
Albania is particularly concerned by Iran’s destabilizing behaviour in the Middle East but also often disruptive activities in relation to Iranian opposition community who have generously been hosted in our country after being subject to despicable massacres elsewhere. We had to react firmly in relation to a number of Iran’s illicit activities against our national security interests and we stand firm on the side of the countries that have been hurt by such activities, both on the sea and in their land. Despite the number of population, the size of territory or geographic location, no country is too small to perform its global responsibilities.
Albania will build upon such a multilateral experience by taking and increasing multilateral commitment. Next year Albania will take the Chairmanship of the OSCE with a special focus on protracted conflicts in and around Ukraine, Nagorno-Karabakh, Transdniestria, to mention but a few cases.
Albania will also devote a special attention to fight against any form of discrimination, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia first and foremost, by relying on its example of inter-religious tolerance as well as strengthening the role of the women in peace-building activities by reflecting the feminist spirit of its nation.
Albania has provided a century long historical example on how harmony among Muslims (be they Suni or Bektashi) and Christians (Catholic or Orthodox) and Jews is not only accidentally possible but also socially fruitful.
Even though often regarded as Muslim-majority country, we are the land where St. Teresa is the highest national symbol, after having been for a long time as Mother Teresa as our most distinguished daughter.
It is perhaps such human solidarity and commitment to universal goodness that should still guide us in facing great threats to peace and security around the globe today.
Given its exceptional historical example, as well as its now highly mature multilateral experience, Albania does not any longer hide the ambition to serve as a non-permanent member in the United Nations Security Council during 2022-2023. So, I call on all nations assembled here today to take a positive note of Albania’s Security Council bid for 2022.
Needless to remind, having global ambition does not mean lacking regional attention. Western Balkans, where I come from, underwent long history of oppression and conflict. Region as a whole underwent two of the 20th century cruellest evils: communist dictatorship and inter-ethnic wars.
As a result of this heritage, Western Balkans happen to be the most underdeveloped region at the heart of the Europe – with a number of disputes still going on.
Albania has particularly celebrated the reaching of Prespa Agreement, which put to the end a decades- long dispute between Greece and North Macedonia. Albania was actively engaged in making it possible and sees it as an inspiring example for settling other old disputes.
In order to build stronger ties and streamline our cooperation by building a roadmap for connectivity and mobility in our region, Albania is working closely with Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia, and looks forward to doing so with Serbia itself.
However, despite the fact that the climate of regional cooperation has improved significantly, the open dispute between the Republic of Kosovo and Serbia still hinders the potential of the development of the whole region.
Regardless of the issues that a young democracy like Kosovo might naturally face, it is more than clear that for a bit more than a decade since its independence was declared, the Republic of Kosovo has managed to build a vibrant democracy, prove itself as a reliable partner in the region and never wavered from its Euro and Atlantic commitment.
The time has come that all countries of this assembly, especially and firstly our Serbian friends, recognize the independent Kosovo to do justice to history and to acknowledge reality as the only reliable basis to build a common and better future.
Dear Serbia,
Independent Kosovo is a reality that cannot be reversed. So, stop living in denial and make history for yourselves and the world by landing in the space of reality.
It is important too, that Kosovo be given the opportunity to join all international and regional organizations that any sovereign, independent country in the world has a right to join in.
And it is my sincere hope and my daily commitment that the Western Balkans will manage to break with their past once and forever and work together to build their economies, integrate their markets, and provide the future their citizens, thinking and working for their children and not talking anymore about their ghosts.
In this regard, I must underline a fact that I have stressed repeatedly to my European colleagues. It is inexcusable that Kosovo, a country of just two million people, remains to date the only country where its people are still isolated from the whole network of visa liberalisation regime. Listen to this. From 2014 more than hundred million people have been added to the multitude of people that can enter EU with no visa. How possibly EU can still keep hostage just two million people that have fought so hard to get their freedom and are so firmly committed to their EU prospect. So, dear EU, stop this nonsense!
On this note, I must also emphasize that stability and security, prosperity and democracy of the region can only be guaranteed by European perspective. For this reason, providing a positive response to Albania and North Macedonia’s ambition to open accession talks will not merely be a reward of their merits but also strategically the wisest decision to be taken by the EU for the EU.
When the first men stepped in the moon in mid-1960 – which, by the way, was not only a sign that man is expanding the limits of universe but also heading to the future – Albania’s universe was of the narrowest kind and its orientation backward. As the most isolated country on earth, Albania was today’s North Korea of back then Europe.
While the heritage of the past still affects the dynamics of the country in multiple ways, Albania today joins world’s nations in the attempt to build a brighter future by performing its institutional tasks in accordance with 2030 Agenda.
My Government considers the implementation of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda an important part of Albania’s vision for development and integration.
Indeed, we see it an important complement to the agenda determined by our effort to join the European Union. Our National Strategy for Development and Integration combines Albania’s European Integration Agenda with that of the UN 2030 Agenda.
We are committed to both these agendas, for a very simple reason.
We believe that they constitute a roadmap for the modernization of our country and institutions and for the raising of our society.
Among the most important milestones in this agenda are the Action Plan on Roma, Egyptians, on LGTBI and persons with disabilities, which contain concrete plans, which are being implemented, that will guarantee the rights of these groups that happen to be very often unfairly and unjustly marginalized. In addition to this, we have made great progress in terms of gender equality, with more women than ever before represented in government, parliament, regional councils and in the public administration. And I am very proud to say that in my Government there are more women than men, quite a good sign to be successful.
In his memorable visit in Tirana in 2014, Pope Francesco advised the youth of Albania to ‘fly higher and higher and higher’ but ‘never forget their nest’. While this sounds almost divine advice, it is also absolutely a realistic demand not only for Albania but apparently for the entire region.
Albania is pursuing special programs to enable our Diaspora anchor their future with their country of origin in the context of our broader ambition to convert the phenomena of the ‘brain-drain’ in the process of ‘brain-circulation’.
Still, there is another element that cannot go without mentioning:
Albania’s unprecedented justice reform; the process of making a major cleanup removing corrupt judges and prosecutors from judiciary, as well as establishing new judicial institutions tailored to tackle corruption and organized crime at highest levels is transforming the entire physiognomy of the country. The corruption in the judiciary for decades did not only prevent justice from taking place, but became also an impediment to make be the rule of our daily existence as a society.
As the new justice system gradually takes shape and becomes fully operational,
we hope that it will seriously curtail all acts of corruption and abuse of power and will finally assure the triumph of the sense of justice and the rule of law overall of the country I do deeply love and proudly represent here today.
Thank you very much!
