Finland committed to vaccine solidarity

President Sauli Niinistö delivered speech at the UN General Assembly highlighting various issues including Afghanistan situation, COVID-19 pandemic, climate and global conflicts.

He also drew attention of the global leaders to Finland´s candidature for the membership of the UN Human Rights Council for the period from 2022 to 2024 and assured to do Finland´s best to make country´s human rights priorities work for the benefit of peace, stability and prosperity across the world.

Speaking on the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, he underscored the need for global action in order to be better prepared for future pandemics saying that it is high time to take concrete steps to improve common health security beyond the current challenges.

“The scientific community has shown a better example than governments. To end this pandemic, the solution has to be global. For a global response to succeed, we need to ensure equitable access to effective remedies. Working through COVAX, Finland is strongly committed to vaccine solidarity,” said Niinistö in his about 18-minute speech started just before mid-night of late Tuesday.

“Over a year and half since its beginning, we still live in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, there is now some light at the end of the tunnel in many countries. Yet we should resist the temptation to think about health security on a national basis alone,” he said.

The President also emphasised to the need of a One Health approach to improve resilience in this regard.

“Enhancing international collaboration on research and development and exchanging information on emerging threats is vital. We must ensure the effective functioning of the multilateral global health institutions, such as the World Health Organization,” said the President.

Pointing out the long-term ramifications of COVID-19, he said that it has led to an increase in extreme poverty and inequality and resulted in a deterioration of gender equality.

“It has seriously affected many countries’ ability to reach the Sustainable Development Goals. We must intensify our efforts to ensure that the most vulnerable are not left further behind,” said the President.

Niinistö also spoke about the present situation of Afghanistan and the need for humanitarian assistance there and urged the international community to be attentive particularly to the interest of women and girls in Afghanistan.

“The dramatic events of Afghanistan in the past weeks have again reminded us of the fragility of peace and security. The humanitarian needs in Afghanistan are immense, and it is critical that we act together to ensure the access of humanitarian assistance to its people. The UN organizations staying on in Afghanistan play a key role here. And the international community must be steadfast on this: women and girls in Afghanistan must not be forgotten or made invisible,” said Niinistö.

He, however, said that yet, unfortunately, Afghanistan is just one example. Conflicts, old and new ones, continue to cause human suffering across the world.

He viewed that the diplomatic toolbox of the Charter needs to be used to its full potential, to build peace where needed, and to prevent conflicts where possible.

“We are indeed at a critical juncture. If humanity is to make the right choice, a breakthrough rather than a breakdown, we have to shoulder our human responsibilities. Responsibilities for our common future,” said the President, adding that the task may seem daunting and the past year has witnessed continued and even growing turbulence in the world.

Terming the intensifying great-power competition as serious risk, he said that it will make all less secure and emphasised the need for urgent remedy.

“In an era of intensifying great-power competition and rapid technological progress, we are also faced with a serious risk of a new arms race. If the unravelling of the international arms control system is allowed to continue, it reduces predictability and increases the likelihood of unintended escalation,” he said.

Focusing the climate issue, he said that the rapidly proceeding loss of biodiversity alone should be a cause for immediate global concern.

“….We now know that climate change is proceeding even faster than was previously thought. According to the IPCC, we are likely to reach the 1.5 degrees temperature rise already in the early 2030s. It is not an exaggeration to say that we are facing a global climate emergency,” said the President.

He said that in its foreign policy, Finland has long underscored the importance of the universal and binding nature of human rights.

Speaking on Finland´s candidature for the UN Human Rights Council for the period from 2022 to 2024, he said,” as a member of the Council, we will do our best to make our human rights priorities work for the benefit of peace, stability and prosperity across the world.”

“In our human rights policy, we pay special attention to the rights of those in the most vulnerable situation, the ones most exposed to discrimination. Promoting the rights of persons with disabilities is a crosscutting priority for Finland,” the President said, adding that another key theme for Finland are the rights of all women and girls.