United Nations: 77th session of the General Assembly

77 AGNU © Palais Princier

The General Debate of the 77^th Session of the General Assembly was held from 20 to 26 September 2022, with 190 speakers, including 70 heads of state, able to participate in person for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. H.E. Mr Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, however, addressed the Assembly via a pre-recorded video message in accordance with a specific General Assembly resolution.

In his speech, H.S.H. Prince Albert II emphasised the need to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and in particular to protect the environment. Quoting his great-great-grandfather, Prince Albert I, He said that protecting the seas and oceans was a family tradition. He also called for a strengthened multilateralism, within which the principles of the United Nations Charter would be followed, and young people and women would play a leading role.

Several meetings and bilateral sessions were held in parallel with High-Level Week.

On 19 September, the “SDG Moment” shone a spotlight on the promises of inclusion, resilience and sustainability embedded in the SDGs. The event, which is organised on an annual basis by the United Nations Secretary-General, highlighted the SDGs as priorities for everyone on a safe and healthy planet. The Secretary-General, H.E. Mr Antonio Guterres, called for reform of the global financial system and increased investment in sectors linked to the SDGs, including health, education and renewable energy.

The Transforming Education Summit was convened on the same day, covering issues ranging from inclusive schools to the digital transformation. The Summit also sought to take stock of the work being done to make up for learning loss due to the pandemic, to reinvent education systems and adapt them to the worlds of the future, and to inject new energy into national and international efforts to achieve SDG 4.

The war in Ukraine was the subject of several parallel events, including one on children in situations of armed conflict, organised by Luxembourg on 20 September, in which Ms Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, took part. The Permanent Mission also attended a special Security Council briefing on the situation in Ukraine on 22 September, as well as a meeting on the trafficking of women and girls for the purpose of sexual exploitation in the context of the war against Ukraine on 23 September.

On oceans, a ministerial meeting was held on 22 September at the offices of Monaco’s Permanent Mission, in partnership with Cape Verde and the organisers of The Ocean Race, to prepare a declaration of ocean rights.

Ms Berro-Amadeï also took part in a meeting of the Coalition to End Plastic Pollution, at which speakers renewed their commitment to developing an international, legally binding instrument to combat plastic pollution before the end of 2024.

The Permanent Mission attended a further event, organised by Belgium on 21 September, for countries which have come together as part of the Blue Leaders group. The theme of the event was the establishment of a network of highly protected marine areas.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation also participated in the 15^th Ministerial Meeting of the Global Governance Group (3G) on 21 September, during which the G20 Troika (Italy, Indonesia and India) joined the 3G foreign ministers to discuss ways to strengthen multilateralism and international cooperation in light of current challenges.

Several bilateral meetings were sought during High-Level Week: H.S.H. Prince Albert II hosted the Slovenian President in His office and Ms Berro-Amadeï met her counterparts from the Maldives and Latvia, and signed a memorandum of agreement, friendship and general cooperation with the Principality of Andorra. She also held meetings with the Kosovan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora and the Secretary-General of the Union for the Mediterranean.

Ms Berro-Amadeï additionally took part in an informal meeting of female foreign ministers organised by Liechtenstein and Sweden. Finally, the traditional dinner for the foreign ministers of Andorra, Monaco and San Marino was held at Monaco’s invitation this year.