The 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) commenced this year with trepidation and lots of anticipation. With over a year of constrained travels and limited in-person meetings, this year's UNGA session began on Sept 14, lasted two weeks and has started to offer a good measure of hope.
The setting is ideal for a "global huddle" (social distancing permitting) to hash out the latest international agendas and to chart ways to achieve them. HE Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, is leading a compact in-person delegation to UNGA with the aim of reconnecting with partners and friends from far and wide and of putting forward Thai contributions of sustainable solutions to global problems.
From the very start of this session, Thailand has aimed to firmly advance priority issues in areas it can have the most meaningful impact. We will look to partnership and solidarity with the international community to sustainably revitalise efforts to advance our "People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership". It is clear that reinforcing multilateralism and advancing meaningful reforms is the only way forward.
There is also hope set forth by the new President of the General Assembly and the United Nations Secretary-General. A number of multilateral efforts have been launched. States, large and small, regional organisations, international organisations and all sectors of society including parliamentarians, academia, and civil society have come together to carve out new areas for cooperation. Among other worthy initiatives, the international community is now looking into a pandemic treaty and finding new ways to be better prepared for future pandemics. Thailand lends our reasoned voice to these initiatives. But, we have three areas of focus.
First, we will continue our efforts on sustainable development and have placed importance on the global implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Thailand also believes that the global community needs to consider the "Balance of All Things" approach in building back better and greener, emphasising resilience, sustainability and inclusivity while ensuring rapid recovery.
Building on our Voluntary National Review (VNR) presented to the High-level Political Forum 2021 on Sustainable Development earlier this year, Thailand encourages exchanges and discussions on models of balanced growth and sustainability. Locally driven development approaches including the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy and the Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BCG) Model can offer a sustainable way forward. We will also work with partners on climate action and explore pathways towards net zero greenhouse gas emission within a specified timeframe.
Second, Thailand will continue to ensure that "people" are placed at the centre of our efforts with their voices heard and counting for something. Thailand's preparations for the Third Cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) under the auspices of the United Nations Human Rights Council has identified additional opportunities to meet immediate needs of vulnerable groups, especially children, women, older persons, persons with disabilities and migrants. Moving forward, as Thailand prepares to become a "super-aged" society, the agenda on older persons will be a key priority.
Equally, the right to the highest attainable standard of mental and physical health is crucial and is the foundation of a healthy society. Strengthened health systems and the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) are the foundations of an effective response to the pandemic of today and of tomorrow.
But, a strengthened global health emergency system is also essential. For Thailand, Covid-19 diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines must be considered as global public goods and must be accessible to all on an equitable basis. Hence, we need to consider how to enhance regional production capabilities to support these goals.
Third, Thailand is firmly "for" the rules-based international order encompassing regional arrangements, agreements and international law which serves as the bedrock for a secure and prosperous world. In this regard, the integral role of regional organisations cannot be overlooked in conflict prevention. While peaceful settlement of disputes must be encouraged, norm setting for a safer world must also continue. One such effort is the universalisation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) alongside the balanced implementation of the three pillars of the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
There is indeed much to look forward to at the 76th Session of the UNGA. Thailand is also gearing up to celebrate 75 years as a member of the UN on Dec 15. No matter which card is dealt, from pandemic to climate change and beyond, Thailand will remain a committed and reliable multilateral partner.
Nadhavathna Krishnamra is the Director-General of the Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.
