“We demand a future beyond imperial ghosts” – Prime Minister of St. Vincent

Your Excellencies, the war in Ukraine, the genocide in Gaza, the conflicts in Yemen, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the threats across the Taiwan Strait, the plans of an empire against revolutionary Cuba and Venezuela, the violence and more in Haiti and similar disturbances of peace around the world all have specific origins and contexts. But they all also reflect a failure of multilateralism, a paralyzed United Nations framework and a departure from the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter. Large, powerful nations, individually or in allied combinations, tend to seek dominance. In this environment, opportunistic or submissive alliances emerge or exist depending on the circumstances. It all degenerates into a Manichean madhouse policy; Hypocrisy, disinformation and folly reign supreme.

Excellencies, in this context the thesis of the neoliberal world order emerges that the main contradiction in today's global political economy is between democracy and autocracy.

Yet all the self-serving shibboleths and glamor of this fictional construct will not wash away the unrepentant sins of the past nor the cruel constraints of the present. The shocking truth is that the central contradiction in today's political economy is not between democracy and autocracy. The main contradiction was and still is the one that revolves around the fundamental material questions: “Who gets what, when, where and how”; It is essentially about the struggle or competition for ownership, control and distribution of material resources that form the basis for regional or global hegemony. [In the variously proposed “New World Order” by rival hegemons, we from the periphery ask: What’s new? Which world? And who gives the orders?] Everywhere more and more poor, hungry, excluded and disadvantaged people are screaming and organizing themselves for a different and better future, not for an unacceptable past, not a present without opportunities for further development; but for a future beyond unlimited elements.

Your Excellencies, unfortunately, in our region we have to experience the lived reality that the imperial spirit of Monroe still lurks in the marble halls of the citadels of a neighboring great country with extraordinary opportunities, to the detriment of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. No country in our hemisphere can reasonably be considered a security or other threat to this great nation. Nevertheless, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and other Caribbean countries have been collaterally and directly harmed in significant material ways by the weaponization of the financial system and the unjustified, unilateral coercive sanctions against Venezuela and Cuba, which constitute a violation of international law. I ask our friends to amicably resolve these problematic relationships in the interests of peace, mutual respect, justice and prosperity. The international community continues to overwhelmingly and rightly demand an end to the unilateral sanctions, embargoes and unfair declarations of state support for terrorism and more that have been imposed against Cuba.

Your Excellencies, on July 1, 2024, Category 4 Hurricane Beryl devastated St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Jamaica. Since the beginning of the 21st century, this is the twelfth significant natural disaster to strike my country, excluding the volcanic eruptions in 2021. Hurricane Beryl impacted a fifth of our population and caused economic damage equivalent to a third of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country. The relief, recovery and reconstruction processes are underway. On behalf of the government and people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, I thank all the countries and organizations, including the United Nations, that came to our aid in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane. Unfortunately, we are essentially on our own in the recovery and rebuilding processes; We have had to borrow significantly to rebuild our physical infrastructure and 5,000 houses, provide income support to those affected and mobilize production support for the agricultural, fishing and tourism industries. I appeal to the international community, our dear friends, not to support us with further burdensome loans, but rather with the necessary grants. The recovery and reconstruction following every natural disaster dramatically increases our debt burden; Countries like Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have contributed little or nothing to global warming and man-made climate change, yet we are largely alone on the front lines. That can't be fair; it cannot be fair. Do we have to choose DEATH or GUILT?

Your Excellencies, the Caribbean Community, the African Union, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, their diasporas and all fair-minded people worldwide have insisted that the European nations responsible for the genocide of indigenous peoples and the enslavement of African bodies , pay reparations for the consequences of underdevelopment. This problem of transformative reparative justice will not go away until it is properly addressed. [In this context, too, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines supports the initiative of Colombia, Brazil and South Africa for a UNGA Resolution towards a second International Decade for People of African Descent with Dignity and Transformative Reparations.]

Your Excellencies, the suffering and pain of the Haitian people continues to weigh heavily on the conscience of our Caribbean. Through the efforts of the Haitian people in collaboration with the regional and international communities, particularly CARICOM, the United States, Canada and Kenya, some progress has been achieved on some fronts, but immense challenges remain in the humanitarian, security, political and economic areas. Building a free, democratic, peaceful and prosperous Haiti requires commitment and concerted action from all relevant stakeholders in pursuing solutions developed by Haitians and led by Haitians. Haiti fatigue is not an option for the international community.

Your Excellencies, there is a growing violent crime challenge in our Caribbean linked to the flammable mix of imported guns and bullets, illegally exported marijuana and the cocaine trade from South America. It is clear that this challenge requires much closer operational cooperation between all affected countries in the Caribbean, North America, South America and Europe.

In the Middle East, the collective punishment of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the continued illegal occupation of Palestinian land, including in the West Bank, by an Israeli regime that involves state terror and is in complete violation of international law is completely unacceptable. Despite the complexity of the issues at hand, this United Nations, particularly the Security Council, should certainly have the courage and will to stop the carnage and enable lasting peace and security.

Excellencies, in the Far East, the prospect of disruption to the fragile peace across the Taiwan Strait is alarming. The pursuit of hegemony and the denial of a people's inalienable right to self-determination are wrong in both the East and the West; Bullying is just as reprehensible in the West as it is in the East; Unilateral coercive measures by a great power violate international law in the East just as they certainly do in the West.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines continues to push for Taiwan's full participation in the United Nations' specialized agencies, including in the areas of health, aviation and maritime transport, climate change, disaster risk reduction and global policy.

Excellencies, it appears that there has been some positive movement recently on the long road to sensible and fair reform of the United Nations Security Council. It is clear to all sensible people that reform of this body is long overdue. As Chair of the L69 Group, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will continue to advocate for a more inclusive, accountable, effective, representative and relevant Security Council.

Excellencies, we know that a better world is possible. Our hope for a better world of peace, justice, security and prosperity rests on the United Nations. Let us all act in accordance with our responsibilities, our obligations and our resources!

Let's not desecrate our future!