In response to global conflicts and with principles of humanity in crisis, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo invoked "the legacy of Sakharov" during his speech at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday evening.
"As world leaders gather at the UN this week, their sole ambition should be to find solutions to conflicts in Sudan, the Middle East, Ukraine and many other places," De Croo stated at the General Debate of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly. This will likely be his final address as Prime Minister.
De Croo highlighted the journey of Russian physicist Andrei Sakharov, who developed the hydrogen bomb in 1955 and later became a human rights advocate, earning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975.
"Remembering Sakharov’s legacy is crucial today. Human dignity and the rule of law are diminishing globally, leading to an increase in armed conflicts," he warned.
'Where is human dignity'
Focusing on the Middle East, where over 40,000 lives have been lost since the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel and subsequent Israeli reprisals, De Croo lamented that extremists on both sides dominate the conflict. He recalled that his government had warned early on about the disregard for international humanitarian law and disproportionate attacks harming Palestinian civilians.
Gaza is in ruins, with over 15,000 people needing prosthetics, including 10,000 children. "Where is human dignity?" De Croo questioned, suggesting that resolving the conflict requires recognising both Israel’s and Palestine’s right to exist based on the 1967 borders.
Outgoing Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo delivers a speech at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), in New York City, United States of America, Tuesday 24 September 2024. Credit: Belga / Benoit Doppagne
Regarding Ukraine, De Croo condemned Vladimir Putin’s "madness" as it continues to devastate the Ukrainian people.
"One man can stop the massacre of thousands of civilians," he said, noting Belgium’s €1.7 billion fund for Ukraine in 2024, which includes military equipment, humanitarian aid, and reconstruction. Belgium also pledged at least thirty F-16 jets to the Ukrainian army in the coming years.
Despite the clear division in the world, De Croo maintained that multilateralism is alive. He pointed out that the 193 UN member states adopted a "Pact for the Future" on Sunday, despite Russian opposition, to revive the UN’s multilateral system. He also mentioned the adoption of the treaty on high seas biodiversity protection last year and the global response to the Mpox virus.
"The first step in this new beginning marked by the ‘Pact for the Future’ requires our renewed commitment to the UN Charter, the rule of law, and the respect for human dignity," De Croo concluded.
