President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova met with the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina J. Mohammed, and addressed the UN Resident Coordinators from Europe and Central Asia.
Expressing her condolences for the tragedy in Kocani, Mohammed stressed that, unfortunately, everyone learned a great lesson from the accident and realized that it could happen to anyone. According to her, the best decision the state made was to send a large part of the injured for treatment abroad. With such a great loss, she pointed out, no country can and should cope alone.
Discussing the role of the United Nations, as an organization created to protect peace, the interlocutors agreed that after 8 decades of existence, it is necessary for the Organization to be reformed in accordance with contemporary peace and democratic challenges.
“Let us build respectful and inspiring leadership, let us refine harsh realism and force with idealism, with law, ethics and morality”, the President said.
The Deputy Secretary-General said that the UN must maintain the values and principles of the Organization and be more vocal, thus proving to current and future member states that they benefit from UN membership.
Referring to the process of our European integration, the Deputy Secretary-General said that it is important for the UN to stand up for us, as a small country that has been waiting unfairly and for too long to join the EU.
Before the UN Resident Coordinators from Europe and Central Asia, Siljanovska-Davkova said that although the world has undergone a profound geopolitical, economic, environmental, demographic and technological transformation, the UN’s competencies, structures and procedures have remained largely unchanged.
“Substantial reforms are needed that will make the General Assembly and the Security Council more legitimate and democratic institutions in the implementation of the UN Charter. The Security Council cannot be elected, composed and decide as in 1945. It must be reformed and become more responsible for maintaining international peace and security. The General Assembly must go beyond its debating role and grow into a key body in the decision-making and policy-making process. The judgments of the International Court of Justice must become binding on all states”, she said.
For her, UN coordinators are bearers of the global conscience, champions and fighters for peace, providers of aid to those who need it most, bearers of hope in times of despair. She expressed and pledged her support and added: “As someone who has dedicated life to law and justice, I still believe in the need for effective multilateralism with a strong, reformed United Nations”. The President also highlighted our commitment to integrating the Sustainable Development Goals into national strategy, focusing on climate action, equality and the rule of law.
