Paraguay

Mr. President of the General Assembly, Distinguished Heads of State and Government, Distinguished Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Ladies and Gentlemen:

In 1945, the representatives of 51 States, one of them my country, agreed to the creation of the United Nations Organization.

As I address, for the first time, this great assembly as President of the Republic of Paraguay, I wish to begin my remarks by expressing our recognition of the work of the United Nations, which since its inception has provided a global framework of cooperation among nations to promote peace, human rights, and the well-being of peoples.

78 years later, multilateralism faces very visible challenges in terms of effectiveness and legitimacy.

In a world of such great wealth, levels of poverty and inequality remain stubbornly high, while massive migration associated with armed conflicts and lack of opportunities, international terrorism, transnational crime, and geopolitical tensions represent challenges before which both the mechanisms of cooperation and their governance—which have prevailed over the last nearly 8 decades—are clearly outdated.

The lack of tangible results, the perceived ineffectiveness of multilateral institutions, and the difficulties in addressing global problems effectively have generated frustration and led to a growing sentiment that national interests should prevail over multilateral cooperation.

The imposition of certain cultural or ideological trends or approaches is perceived, not without reason, as interference in national sovereignty and values, which erodes trust and weakens the will to cooperate in the multilateral sphere. Consequently, increasing levels of distrust among Member States can be observed, which hinders cooperation and the willingness to commit to the common good.

The 2008 crisis, the recent pandemic, and today, the conflict in Ukraine, have exposed weaknesses and limitations of multilateral institutions in their capacity to address challenges with global impact and systemic risk. In the latter case, the UN and its Security Council have adopted measures whose results are, regrettably, far from encouraging.

Despite having suffered the misfortunes of two unjust wars, one of which brought us to the brink of extinction as a nation, the spirit and history of Paraguay compel us to place our trust in dialogue, and NOT in force, as the mechanism for resolving any controversy, as demonstrated by the Gondra Convention of 1924, proposed by a distinguished Paraguayan and approved unanimously by all Latin American countries without a single amendment, whose purpose was precisely to avoid and prevent wars between American states.

With humility, but with great conviction, we urge all parties involved in this conflict to immediately halt military actions in order to prevent further casualties and damage.

We support the peace initiatives promoted both by Brazil, a brotherly country and strategic ally, and by Pope Francis, whose moving presence is a source of inspiration for all humanity.

There is no doubt that we need to work on reviewing and reforming the mechanisms, measures, and institutional capacities of multilateral bodies in order to prevent new wars like the one devastating Ukraine, but with or without reforms, we need to put an end to the merciless loss of so many human lives.

We need to work on strengthening the UN with a view to building new capacities that will allow it to respond effectively and efficiently to the permanent and changing global challenges.

Within the framework of the reform and expansion of the Security Council, Paraguay considers that the organizational and functional structure of the United Nations must reflect the dynamics of the international scene on participatory, democratic, and equitable bases that observe the guiding principles of the Charter to promote peace, security, and prosperity for our countries on an equal footing.

In this regard, the Government of Paraguay expresses its support for the Republic of China–Taiwan to be an integral part of the United Nations system.

Climate change represents a great global challenge, and we must take measures that are both rigorous and fair in order to prevent further damage to the planet and its inhabitants.

Trade restrictions based on criteria such as agricultural practices or environmental standards generate discontent and uncertainty and are unfair and discriminatory barriers, since they attempt to extrapolate the realities of highly developed regions to developing territories, without taking into account their differences or adequately valuing these territories' own environmental mitigation practices.

This implies that less developed countries would have to assume responsibility for the environmental damage caused by industrialization in the 19th and 20th centuries, when no mitigation measures existed, and would be obliged to do so at the expense of giving up opportunities for trade expansion, job creation, and wealth generation.

It is necessary to address these concerns and promote a more equitable and collaborative approach that takes into consideration the specific realities and needs of each country in the context of multilateral decisions related to environmental standards.

Paraguay has shown the world that we are leaders in the production of hydroelectric energy, a clean and sustainable source that supplies both our domestic needs and those of our neighbors. We have put Paraguay on the map as an example to follow in the transition toward a more sustainable world.

While other countries are still debating emissions reductions, we have already taken concrete and effective measures. We are a concrete example of how a nation can harness its natural resources responsibly and sustainably to promote economic development while at the same time mitigating climate change.

For more than 30 years we have been adopting sustainable agricultural practices that not only ensure a prosperous future for our farmers, but also guarantee the integrity of our land and water resources. We have acted with courage and responsibility, basing our public policies on science and evidence.

For years, we were the subject of unjust criticism and accusations, but today, thanks to the work of multiple governments, I can tell you with certainty that the facts speak for themselves.

44% of Paraguayan territory retains its forest cover. 95% of the area planted with cereals and oilseeds in Paraguay in 2022 implements sustainable technologies such as no-till farming and crop rotation, and has been free of deforestation since 2004, as a result of our zero-deforestation policy.

These figures are irrefutable proof that it is possible to achieve a balance between agricultural production and the conservation of our natural resources, and that Paraguayan farmland is ready to enter the most demanding international markets while respecting the principles of clean and sustainable production.

But we do not stop here. Paraguay is also committed to restoring our natural ecosystems. We are promoting reforestation and species conservation, and we have undertaken the participatory construction of the national forest restoration plan.

In addition, we have drastically reduced extreme poverty over the past two decades, demonstrating that it is possible to protect our environment while prospering economically.

Paraguay reaffirms its commitment to the core values and objectives of the United Nations Organization.

We understand our common but differentiated responsibilities, and we are ready to lead by example on the path toward a more sustainable and equitable world.

Today we face four global challenges that generate geopolitical tensions: access to water, food security, energy sufficiency, and resilience in logistics chains.

As Paraguay is a powerhouse in these major areas, we are called to be protagonists in the concert of nations.

Our subsoil holds the largest reserve of fresh water in the world, including the Guaraní Aquifer, which we share with our neighbors. Paraguay is a global food supplier, being one of the few countries in the world capable of producing food for its own population and for more than 100 million people around the world. In hydroelectric energy we are pioneers in regional energy integration, and today we are determined to move toward greater energy efficiency and sustainability.

In this context, Paraguay aspires to become the logistics hub of the South American Bioceanic Road Corridor, which turns our geographic centrality into an opportunity and strengthens integration with neighboring countries and Pacific markets.

This trade corridor will be a source of renewal and empowerment for Mercosur and the Pacific Alliance, promoting closer ties between both blocs. Furthermore, due to its intersection with the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway, this multimodal network will become the most competitive way to transport products from different countries to Pacific ports, facilitating consensus for the management of river navigation. Undoubtedly, it will give new impetus to the process of South American integration and transform the vision with which we resolve any conflicts that may arise.

PARAGUAY IS DETERMINED TO LEAVE BEHIND ITS OLD IMAGE AS AN ISLAND SURROUNDED BY LAND, as described by our Cervantes Prize winner Don Augusto Roa Bastos, and, FOLLOWING ITS HISTORICAL, GEOGRAPHIC, AND CULTURAL VOCATION, TO BECOME THE CENTER OF SOUTH AMERICAN INTEGRATION.

For this reason, one of our main strategic objectives will be to contribute to improving regional integration. In this regard, managing the waterway, the aquifers, the bioceanic corridor, the hydroelectric plants, and the navigation of our rivers are delicate processes of balance between the integration and the sovereignty of our peoples. We are aware of the progress made along the path of integration, but we cannot be satisfied, and we must move forward with courage and determination.

Latin America is the region of the world with the greatest potential for development. But we will only be able to develop that potential by respecting one another, working together, and in harmony.

Since the last decade of the 20th century, we have been undergoing, as a country, a process of building and strengthening our democratic institutions.

This year we renewed the political leadership of the country through a transparent electoral process, with broad citizen participation, in which the Paraguayan people expressed their will with a firm democratic vocation and full confidence in the rule of law. Paraguay is today living through its greatest historical period of democratic coexistence, with more than 35 uninterrupted years of the noblest values of a free, participatory, and pluralistic democracy, and convinced that there is NO other acceptable system than the non-negotiable validity of human rights and freedom.

Paraguay, country of the prose of Augusto Roa Bastos, of the universal music of José Asunción Flores, and of the guitar that speaks with the voice of ñandutí, of Berta Rojas; this country has a rhythm that was born to capture the spirit of its Guaraní language. It is called guarania, and today it hopes to be recognized as Universal Heritage because it is an ambassador that travels the world carrying our emotions.

My country values peace, sustainable development, and integration among peoples because we are a country that has risen from its ashes, after a war of extermination that cut short the early development process of a nation that, already at the dawn of the industrial revolution, had built one of the first interurban railways in South America, had shipyards and iron foundries, and, above all, was strongly committed to building its human capital through education.

The reconstruction after the hecatomb of 1870, which annihilated 90% of the Paraguayan male population, was carried out by patriotic fellow citizens, without international financial or technological support, and with a small flow of European migrants who arrived and settled in the country despite a narrative that disparaged us.

But, as President Bernardino Caballero said in his immortal words in his presidential message of 1884, Paraguay has the undeniable merit of having risen from its ruins, without having sought foreign assistance to do so. It has persevered with that rare self-denial which is the virtue of the strong, and has triumphed: it is the architect of its own destiny.

It is impossible not to mention here the fundamental role of Paraguayan women in the heroic task of rebuilding the country. It is not in vain that Paraguayan women are recognized as the most glorious of the Americas and the cornerstone upon which our nation is built.

With firm and determined steps, Paraguay continues to strengthen its institutions and its economy. After occupying for decades the place of the poorest country in South America, today we are an upper-middle-income country, with high credibility in international financial markets that brings us closer to the coveted investment grade, with high production standards certified in accordance with international norms, with transparency and, above all, with a macroeconomic stability that sets us apart globally and is underpinned by fiscal and monetary discipline and a permanent effort to improve public management.

Dear friends of the international community: Paraguay today stands tall, and ready to fulfill its mission before history. That is why we speak of "the resurgence of a giant," but we do not do so with expansionist or grandiloquent aims, but rather with the firm conviction of a people proud of its roots, of its heroic and valiant history, and with the deepest conviction of its destiny for greatness.

Thank you very much.