Spain

Mr. Secretary-General, Madam President, Heads of State and Government, Ambassadors and Authorities, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I appear before you today, the delegates of the Member States of the United Nations, in the year marking the 80th anniversary of its founding. This is an opportune moment to reflect on the present, past and future of this universal organization and its contribution to peace, stability and development in extremely complex times.

This is a fast-moving and runaway world, one that too often places us at the vertigo of the precipice. There is no shortage of voices proclaiming the end of multilateralism and the obsolescence and ineffectiveness of the United Nations. It is the effect, we are told, of the replacement of a logic of dialogue and cooperation by a logic of competition, rivalry and extreme tensions. "That is not the world we are headed toward," we hear said, "but the world we are already immersed in."

Faced with this sense of collapse, one might argue: it is clear that times have changed and we must adapt, even anticipate, without taking refuge in idealism, complacency or lack of foresight. But it is precisely in these moments of anxiety that it matters most to read correctly the signs of our time, so as not to fall into mistakes already made, so as not to enter spirals with no return. For this, we have memory, which is the most useful tool of any generation in confronting its challenges.

The memory of the 20th century calls out to us every time we gather in this General Assembly. It reminds us why this house of the international community was created, under what circumstances it was born, and what dark chapters of history it sought to close forever definitively. It is worth letting the opening words of the preamble of the Charter of the United Nations resound once again, those that begin: "We the peoples of the United Nations, determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war..."

Which of the great words contained in that preamble—peace, dignity, equality, justice, progress—has ceased to be valid, has ceased to represent an unpostponable ethical demand? Along which of those paths have we advanced far enough, in these 8 decades, to be able to declare the road of multilateralism and cooperation concluded? In the silence before those questions lies the greatest proof that the United Nations not only remains useful: it is indispensable, it is irreplaceable.

To believe in the United Nations is to believe firmly in the universality of the principles and values set out in its Charter and in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; it is to avoid the temptation to qualify them with particularisms, with relativisms, with exceptions. Because the dignity of the human being is not negotiable.

To believe in the United Nations is also to believe in a world based on rules. Rules generate behaviors that the vast majority of international actors abide by. Even when they are broken or violated, there is a basis on which to claim them, to enforce them. Rules are the voice of reason applied to international relations, the best defense we have against the law of the strongest. A world without rules is terra incognita; a time without rules is a Middle Age.

The path proposed to us by the Charter of the United Nations is full of obstacles, and we will never finish traveling it entirely. That is why the example of so many people committed to its values and principles is so valuable; people who work in extreme conditions, at risk to their freedom, their physical integrity or even their life, in a world devastated by conflict in far too many regions.

We are seeing it on the European continent, in Ukraine, with the war unleashed by Russia's unprovoked and unjustifiable aggression, in violation of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Peace in Europe will not be possible without justice or accountability. Spain will continue supporting all efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace, based on the principles of international legality, respect for Human Rights and accountability.

We also see it, in all its rawness, in the Middle East, in Palestine, in the Gaza Strip. We cannot remain silent, nor look the other way, in the face of the devastation, the bombings—including of hospitals, schools or places of refuge; the many deaths among the civilian population; or the famine and forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, to what destination? These are aberrant acts that stand at the very antipodes of everything this forum represents. They repel the human conscience and shame the international community as a whole.

Spain is a people deeply proud of its Sephardic roots. When we speak to the people of Israel, we are speaking to a people of brothers, a people who, when they return to Spain—to Cordoba, to Toledo, to Seville, to Barcelona—return home; that was the guiding principle of the law by which, in 2015 and with broad consensus, Spanish nationality was granted to the descendants of Sephardic Jews originally from Spain. That is why it pains us so much, it is so hard for us to understand what the Israeli government is doing in the Gaza Strip. That is why we cry out, we implore, we demand: stop this massacre now. No more deaths in the name of a people so wise and so ancient, who have suffered so much throughout history.

Let us be clear: we resoundingly condemn the execrable terrorism of Hamas and especially that brutal massacre of 7 October 2023 against the Israeli population, and we recognize Israel's right to defend itself. But with the same firmness, we demand that the government of Israel apply international humanitarian law without reservation throughout Gaza and the West Bank. We demand that humanitarian aid arrive without delay, a ceasefire with guarantees, and the immediate release of all hostages still held by Hamas with such cruelty.

The international community must assume its responsibility to make a viable solution encompassing the existence of the two states a reality as soon as possible. The recognition of the State of Palestine by a growing number of members of our Organization, which Spain joined last May, should help achieve a just and definitive regional peace, based on the implementation of United Nations resolutions and also on the universal recognition of the State of Israel.

Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen delegates,

The lack of resources, the fragility of states, and inequalities are also, as we know, both the cause and consequence of so many conflicts. The distance separating us from meeting the objectives set out in the 2030 Agenda remains enormous. And the current financing gap for sustainable development exceeds 4 trillion dollars annually.

The call for efficiency and optimization of resources achieved at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Seville, must have continuity. That is why Spain, in line with the Commitment reached there, adopted by consensus, has launched the "Seville Plan for Support of Multilateralism"; we have increased our contribution to international development funds and reaffirmed our commitment to defending Human Rights, gender equality and ecological transition, which are central and distinctive elements of our foreign policy. Let me briefly address each of these three areas.

First, Human Rights. Spain is, as of this year, a member of the Human Rights Council, which will allow us to continue working on causes such as the fight against racism, the eradication of the death penalty and the promotion of economic, social and cultural rights; and to persist in the fight against all forms of discrimination. Because we favor plural, open societies, where all citizens participate. And we are concerned about the erosion of democracies, the disaffection we observe toward values essential to democratic coexistence. In these confusing times, which test our capacity for dialogue, it is precisely when we must remain most faithful to those values. In keeping with these principles, we believe that immigration, properly managed, is a vector of mutual development for the societies of origin, transit and destination, and that the Human Rights of migrants must therefore be the primary reference point of our action. That is why we fully and firmly support the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration and the Global Compact on Refugees.

I want to address, secondly, gender equality. This year, marking the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, is a new opportunity to renew our commitment to real and effective equality, which is not only a step forward in Human Rights, but above all, a matter of justice. Spain aspires to continue being a global reference on issues such as the fight for sexual and reproductive rights, against sexual and gender-based violence, and for greater participation by women in leadership positions and decision-making processes.

I will address, thirdly, the environment. The triple planetary crisis we face—climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss—demands of us a strengthening of governance and sufficient resources to accelerate a just energy transition, one that allows us to triple renewable energy capacities, double energy efficiency and continue decarbonizing our economies. These are goals as immense as they are necessary, and that is why doubts must be set aside. Spain calls for consensus and ambition ahead of the upcoming COP30, which will bring us together in Brazil this coming November.

There are other challenges of no lesser importance, such as managing the impact of that Copernican revolution called artificial intelligence, which can accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda if we know how to steer it toward a digital transformation that is fair and equitable. And in the field of health—whose global dimension became evident, with tragic overtones, in the not-so-distant times of COVID—we celebrate that consensus has been reached on the Pandemic Agreement, which reinforces the central position of WHO within the global health architecture.

Mr. President,

Spanish foreign policy is structured, by geographic position, by history and by conviction, around three fundamental axes: toward Africa and the Mediterranean, toward the Americas and the Atlantic, and toward Europe. I would like to make a few observations on these three spaces.

Spain is well aware that Africa constitutes a strategic global interest of the first magnitude. The present is marked, in certain countries, by structural deficiencies and some atrocious wars and conflicts, which receive little attention compared to others mentioned. I think of the numerous Peacekeeping Operations in the region, to which my country contributes decisively. This is the case of Western Sahara, where Spain will continue supporting the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in reaching a solution that is acceptable and in accordance with the norms and framework of the United Nations. The future of Africa will follow the course set by a young, dynamic population full of initiative, increasingly present in global affairs. That is the future we must support: that is why my country has adopted the Spain-Africa Strategy 2025-2028. We want to develop a partnership based on concrete actions and shared interests; one that also serves to boost the vibrant African multilateralism embodied by the African Union and other subregional bodies. On a strictly bilateral note, I cannot forget the special neighborly and cooperative relationship that unites us with the Kingdom of Morocco, to which, in recent years, we have given new impetus for the benefit of our peoples.

Latin America and the Caribbean represent, for Spain, a community of brother nations, an irreplaceable part of an identity strengthened by a shared heritage—the Spanish language—spoken by 600 million people worldwide. Our country holds, until the end of 2026, the Pro Tempore Secretariat of the Ibero-American Community of Nations, and Madrid will host the next Ibero-American Summit. We will continue supporting the European Union's action in the region, which this year will reach its high point at the EU-CELAC Summit, to be held in Colombia in November.

The European Union represents one of the highest achievements of concord and an example for multilateralism. Its voice is, in these times, more necessary than ever, and that is why we are committed to a Union that is ever more effective, cohesive, capable of guaranteeing its security and competitive in the global economy. I think it important to recall that on 11 June a definitive political agreement was announced on the fundamental aspects of the future Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom. A historic pact, respectful of my country's position regarding sovereignty and jurisdiction over Gibraltar, which will bring confidence, legal certainty and stability to the lives of the population of the Campo de Gibraltar and of Gibraltar itself.

Mr. President,

I began by speaking of the past and present of the United Nations, and I will devote my final words to its future. I appeal, in these moments of serious budgetary tensions, to the commitment of all member states to the Organization. I encourage all its staff, led by its Secretary-General, to persist in their enormous effort toward efficiency and effectiveness, prioritizing those areas whose abandonment would represent an unacceptable breach of the ethical standards that must always govern its work.

We continue to believe in the need to develop reform initiatives, and we place at the service of that exercise our capacity for dialogue and consensus-building, our firm multilateral conviction. On the occasion of this 80th anniversary—which coincides, moreover, with the 70th anniversary of Spain's accession—I wish to renew, Mr. President, my country's recognition of all the men and women who work at the United Nations. You are the custodians of the memory of the 20th century, and the guarantors of the hopes placed in the 21st. And it is now, when the most questions arise around multilateralism and cooperation, that we need you most.

Thank you very much.