Words matter. These are the best Miroslav Lajcak Quotes, and they’re great for sharing with your friends.
If we want the next generation to be born into a better world, we only have one option. And that is strong multilateralism, with the U.N. System at its core.
I want to use but not misuse my position as President of the General Assembly.
The longer it takes to respond to a major development or crisis, the higher the chance of violence being seen as the only answer.
It is far easier and more effective – and not just in terms of cost – to prevent conventional conflicts than to intervene after an eruption of violence.
People are saying that the next war will be about water. Let’s make sure there will be no next war, and let’s make sure that we treat water the way it deserves.
We need to address significant funding gaps when it comes to implementing the SDGs.
It’s the right and also the responsibility of member states to express their views. And my role as the present of the General Assembly is not to comment on this. I’m here to protect and respect the rules.
Engagement is always better then disengagement. If we don’t talk, somebody else will.
The United Nations should serve as a forum to address our common challenges. And it must also be a space to generate solutions for mutual benefit. This is the very essence of what the United Nations is about. We must position the multilateral system to better serve our people and deliver on their aspirations.
Indeed, it is a common goal to create a stronger United Nations able to meet the multitude of expectations placed upon it. To that end, I will facilitate a constructive, informed, and open interaction among Member States and with the Secretary-General.
The U.N. was created for people.
The U.N. must have adequate resources and the right capabilities to fully engage in global peacekeeping.
The negotiations on the future of the U.K. and the E.U. must be led… in the interest of our citizens.
We must recognize that Small Island Developing States are particularly vulnerable to climate change, natural disasters, and external shocks.
I do believe we can do more to bring the U.N. closer to the world’s citizen and make a real difference in their lives.
The United Nations is here to provide global guidance and also to help with global frameworks and to set the policies right. But then, it’s the member states who have to implement those policies.
I have absolutely no doubts that the best for the U.K. is to stay in the European Union.
By unwillingly robbing post-conflict nations of their most talented people, we in Europe are improving the odds these states fail, and feed the vicious circle of future conflicts.
Mediation is one of the most effective tools of non-violence. It can turn parties away from conflict, towards compromise.
I’m a career diplomat. I spent 30 years as a diplomat, out of which seven years as foreign minister. I’ve always believed in the United Nations as a centre of multilateralism and multilateral diplomacy.
If we hand over a planet with an uncertain future, history will not forgive us.
If there is one thing we need to avoid, it is competition between E.U. institutions.
We need to address issues our people think about and talk about. Because there is a feeling that Europe elites are addressing different issues. Not the ones that people care about.
Membership of the E.U. is not about cherry picking. It brings a lot of advantages and, of course, it requires a lot of responsibilities.
Our people have not been exposed to Muslims, and they are frightened. It’s a new phenomenon for them… Hundreds of Muslims mean nothing in Belgium or London, but it does mean something in Slovakia.
Whenever there is a need to address an issue that has emerged and the U.N. is expected to deal with, we should be ready to do so.
Everyone who has ever asked for asylum in Slovakia was granted asylum if that person met the conditions. There was never any discrimination based on religion.
Sustaining Peace is happening. But it is the exception – not the norm.
‘Peace’ means rules respected by everyone – big or small, rich or poor – means cooperation. It means respect for human rights and dignity.
The General Assembly is a unique organ. It’s the most representative organ of the United Nations, where all 193 Member States are present. Each has one vote regardless of its size, power, or wealth. That gives the body a huge authority.
I’m certainly not a hard liner, that’s clear.
What keeps me awake at night is the issue of relevance of the United Nations.
Coming from a smaller nation in Central Europe, I have learned pretty soon how important are agreed rules, cooperation, respect for partners and, most of all, willingness to listen and find common solutions.
We all have to acknowledge a simple fact: Africa is growing.
My own country, Slovakia, has been there for South Sudan and its people. We made South Sudan a priority country of our official development assistance and humanitarian aid.
