Outgoing Prime Minister Alexander De Croo called on world leaders to "abide by international law" in an address to the UN General Assembly on Sunday.
"We should strive to lead by example and abide by the principles enshrined in our Universal Declaration of Human Rights," said De Croo, at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City on Sunday, before adding: "human rights are universal."
The liberal politician warned of "global backsliding" in this area. "Leaders increasingly prioritise certain 'interests' over core 'values' [...] attempts to undermine human rights have been underway for years."
"We need to resist these regressions," he continued. "Politicians need to be held accountable."
Credit: Belga / Benoit Doppagne
A changing world
The speech took place during the 'Summit of the Future', where world leaders adopted a 'Future Agenda' aiming to revitalise multilateralism.
In this context, De Croo called on the UN to make the global financial order more equal and highlighted Belgium's efforts to reinforce multilateralism and development banking. He encouraged other countries to follow suit.
Finding the best way to tackle our common challenges is the mission of our generation.
That is why each of us is here today – to do our part. This Summit is a unique moment to boost our ambition. Watch my intervention ↓ https://t.co/Qhcye6oc8B — Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) September 22, 2024
In a speech made on the same day, President of the Council of the EU Charles Michel (another former Belgian Prime Minister) also stressed the need to reform the global financial system.
"We cannot accept that developing countries are forced to choose between fighting poverty and addressing climate change. They must be able to tackle both, and we must support them," he said.
De Croo addressed the same audience as Prime Minister last year, calling for "grounded optimism" in the face of climate change. The same hopeful tone characterised his approach this year. "The challenges we face today are immense but so is our collective capacity," he said.
