“The world is too small for us to simply build a wall and prevent it from affecting our own societies”, Obama said Tuesday, the third speaker in a list of almost 200 as each member and observer nation of the UN delivers remarks over the next several days.
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He added that the existing path to global integration requires a course correction, and called for capitalism to be reined in so that the global economy does not just benefit those at the top.
Mr Obama used his eighth and final United Nations address as president to call for a “course correction” to ensure that extremism and violence does not drive countries into a more divided world. But human rights groups complained that it was watered down, eliminating Ban’s proposal to resettle 10 percent of the world’s refugees annually. And he touted the renewal of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba.
A view of the dignitaries’ gallery at the opening of the general debate of the seventy-first session of the General Assembly.
Speaking to the United Nations General Assembly, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, criticized Obama’s so-called “red line” on Syria.
Obama did not address the impending collapse of the cease-fire in his remarks to the General Assembly.
For the most part, Obama kept his statements vague, choosing to talk about broad concepts and trends rather than call countries and leaders out by name. It’s hard to spend on foreign assistance.
“I want to emphasize that from their perspective this isn’t charity”. “We are all stakeholders in this worldwide system, and it calls upon all of us to invest in the success of institutions to which we belong”.
“This crisis is a test of our common humanity, whether we give in to suspicion and fear and build walls”, Mr. Obama said.
“If we start resorting to trade wars, market-distorting subsidies, overreliance on national resources instead of innovation, these approaches will make us poor collectively, and they’re more likely to lead to conflict”, he said.
The choices of individual human beings created a United Nations, so that a war like [the Second World War] that would never happen again. Yet he said dark history shows that we reach a certain level of enlightenment only to fall backwards.
He also referred to current crises tearing the world apart, including “Russia attempting to recover lost glory through force” by interfering in the affairs of its neighbours, and the South China Sea, where “a peaceful resolution of disputes offered by law will mean far greater stability than the militarization of a few rocks and reefs”.
The ICRC has affirmed that it will continue to work on sending humanitarian aid to people in need in Syria. “And surely, Israelis and Palestinians will be better off if Palestinians reject incitement and recognize the legitimacy of Israel, but Israel recognizes that it can not permanently occupy and settle Palestinian land”, he added.
But the main thrust of his remarks remained the need for overall global cooperation as inspired by the founding of the United Nations itself, even if this means curbing the power of the strongest countries.
“After ten years in office, I am more convinced that ever that we have the power to end war, poverty and persecution”, he said. “But I am convinced that in the long run, giving up some freedom of action – not giving up our ability to protect ourselves or pursue our core interests, but binding ourselves to global rules over the long term – enhances our security”.
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Obama also argued for the rights of women, gays, and religious and ethnic minorities across the world, and denounced religious fundamentalism. “I’ve noticed as president, that at times, both America’s adversaries and some of our allies believe that all problems were either caused by Washington or could be solved by Washington”.
