Statement by Ambassador Marc-André Blanchard to the United Nations Security Council Debate on “Strengthening Multilateralism and the Role of the United Nations”

9 November 2018

I thank the Chinese Presidency for choosing to include this issue on the Security Council’s agenda.

I am struck by how many member states want to have this conversation.

And we all want to address it meaningfully.

First, it is important to remind ourselves why multilateralism matters, what it means to our people and to our planet.

When we in Canada consider multilateralism, we of course think of peacekeepers working to protect civilians.

We celebrate the fact that fewer people died in the first decade of this century than in any decade in the 20^th century.

We consider the over 80 million people in over 80 countries helped by the World Food Program every year.

But we also recall the work of ICAO on civil aviation, of the IMO on shipping lanes, of the WTO on fostering inclusive trade and of the WHO in helping to eradicate small pox, and soon, we hope, polio as well.

While the system is imperfect, most of us see benefit in it. That is why we are keen to uphold it.

We recognize that no country can face the looming challenges of the 21^st century alone.

We agree that multilateralism is inherently a positive agenda, about collective effort for common gain.

But we also see serious challenges.

The dividends continue to be unequally shared.

The playing field is nowhere near level. Too many are left behind.

And the rules unfortunately are not applied by all.

We see ongoing violations of human rights and international humanitarian law around the world, and a lack of accountability for serious crimes.

Accountability is not a luxury afforded only when circumstances allow. It is the basis for how we, as states, interact with one another, and with our citizens.

The UN Charter obliges us to act in the best interests of all of humanity, reaffirming – and I quote – “faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small”.

The Charter grounds our actions in a set of obligations, which member states accept when they join, and are expected to carry out thereafter.

Looking forward, the challenge to multilateralism is fundamentally whether we choose to live up to our obligations. Whether we each do our fair share.

Whether we fulfill the global compacts we have agreed, on climate change, on migration, and on refugees. Whether we implement the SDGs.

We need to listen to the voices of those left behind.

Multilateralism is too often associated with inefficient bureaucracy, disconnected from the reality of the people it aims to assist. We can’t sweep these criticisms under the carpet.

We need to address the trust deficit, both within the UN and in the broader multilateral context, by engaging, listening, including and being open to compromise.

And we need to commit to reforming the UN, and our own institutions, to make them more transparent, inclusive, effective, and accountable.

Multilateralism is not about posturing and preaching. It is not about passing the same resolutions year after year.

It is about listening to each other, learning from each other, finding solutions together, and getting things done for our people and our planet.

Canada is committed to help build a better world, where a rules-based international order is inclusive and sustainable, and its benefits are shared by all.

This is why Canada is seeking a non-permanent seat on the Security Council in 2021-2022.

Together, we can renew and revitalize the institutions we have spent more than seven decades building.

Let us find opportunities to work together in good faith and partnership toward a safer, fairer, and more secure world, a world where no one is left behind.