Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Sunday addressed the United Nations Summit of the Future in New York, underlining that "there are global threats that demand global solutions", among others.
"We have the opportunity to do something before it is too late, before we get to the next real global crisis," the Greek premier said, noting that it was still possible to avert disaster.
He expressed his high esteem for the UN Secretary General and coordinators Germany and Namibia, for making the Pact for the Future possible, while stressing the urgent need to take action for sustainable growth, peace, security and to restore faith in world governance.
Despite the difficulties, the prime minister said, consensus had been achieved in an age of polarisation, division and distrust because global threats demanded collective solutions.
Mitsotakis stressed that Greece, as a newly-elected member of the UN Security Council in the next two years, was an active participant in these difficult negotiations and that the Pact is considered a necessary first step for dealing with contemporary global challenges.
At this moment in time, the prime minister said, this reconfirmation and "return to the basics" of the UN Charter was essential, such as the peaceful resolution of differences with respect for international law. From now on, he added, it will be "possible for us to move forward and resolve the main challenges of our age together...with the Pact for the Future we have 'road map' that will lead us there. Nothing can be of more vital importance."
Mitsotakis said that everyone present was aware of the need to take action and implement the many, detailed and specific initiatives outlined in the Pact. This awareness of the high stakes had made it possible to reach a consensus, he noted, "as the global threats that we all face together as an international community greatly supersede the individual interests of regions, states and governments.
He also highlighted the fact that, unlike the generation that created the United Nations after suffering the catastrophic consequences of World War II, "we have the opportunity to do something before it is too late, before we reach the next true global crisis. We still have the opportunity to avert the disaster that could be caused by the current global threats that we are up against."
While the Pact for the Future was only a first step, it was a necessary first step, Mitsotakis underlined. "It is, ultimately, a political statement for action. And the political will is the necessary driving force for action on a national level and, collectively on a global level," he added.
The Greek premier also welcomed references in the Pact to maritime safety and the protection of culture as an inseparable element of sustainable growth.

The Summit of the Future was convened by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres as part of the broader efforts of the UN to tackle critical global challenges, such as geopolitical tensions, economic instability, human rights, digital governance and threats to world peace and reforms to the international system so that it is ready for the future.

The full speech follows:

Your Excellencies, dear colleagues,

I want to start by offering my deep appreciation to the Secretary General who brought us here today to adopt the Pact for the Future, and to the co-facilitators, Germany and Namibia. Thank you, for undertaking this important and very complicated task.

All of us who are here today recognize the urgent need to take action, to implement the many detailed, specific initiatives that are outlined in the Pact for the Future. For sustainable development, for peace and security, for addressing climate change, for the restoration of trust in global governance, a trust which has come under intense scrutiny. For our own sake, and for the sake of future generations.

We managed to come to an agreement - and it was not an easy task- , at a time of heightened mistrust, strife, polarization and conflict. Yet we reached a consensus, because we know that the stakes are extremely high, and that the global threats we are facing together as an international community are of much greater order than the individual interests of regions, countries or governments.

This is, after all, why the United Nations was created, almost 80 years ago. At the root of its foundation was the recognition that there is such a thing as a global interest, a global common good for humanity, which supersedes and transcends the individual interests of member states.

The generation that created the United Nations and adopted the UN Charter left us an invaluable legacy. One important difference between their historical moment and ours is this: they created the international system after suffering a devastating and unprecedented global catastrophe - the Second World War. We, on the other hand, have the opportunity to do something before it’s too late, before we arrive at the next true global crisis. We can still avert the devastation that could be wrought by the current global threats we are faced with.

Our Pact for the Future, as a point of global consensus, is only a first step. But it is a necessary first step. It is, after all, a political declaration to act. And political will is a necessary driver for action, at the national level and, collectively, at the global level.

Greece, as an incoming member of the Security Council for the next two years, was an active participant in this difficult negotiation. We believe we got to a fairly good outcome and I note with satisfaction the inclusion of paragraphs of particular concern to us, such as maritime security and the protection of culture as an integral component for sustainable development.

Crucially, today we are renewing our trust in the multilateral system and we reaffirm our commitment to it. At this point in time, it was necessary to have this reaffirmation, to go “ back to the basics” of the UN Charter, such as the peaceful settlement of disputes with respect to international law. We can now move forward and solve together the core challenges of our era. They are truly global challenges and, of course, they require global solutions. With the Pact for the Future, we at least have a roadmap to lead us there. Nothing could be more vital.

Thank you very much.