Statement by Vassily Nebenzia, Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN, at the open VTC of UNSC members “Cooperation between the UN and regional and subregional organizations: the role of the International Organization of La Francophonie”
Mr. President,
We welcome the participation in this VTC of Secretary-General of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) Ms. Louise Mushikiwabo, as well as Chair of the Conference of Foreign Ministers of Francophonie, our former colleague, Foreign Minister of Armenia Mr. Zohrab Mnatsakanyan. We are also thankful to ASG Bintou Keita for the information she shared.
Mr. President,
At the outset, let me congratulate the OIF on its 50th anniversary. This organization is a good example of international cooperation that rests upon the rich legacy of French culture and language. We cannot fail to recognize the positive work done by OIF to promote the concept of multipolar world; preclude and prevent armed conflicts; counter radicalization, manifestations of terrorism and extremism; i.a. through numerous French-speaking contingents in UN peacekeeping missions. As of today, this sort of work is in huge demand in Sahara-Sahel region. Besides, we welcome the Organization’s good services that facilitate effective solutions in the countries that are not on the UNSC agenda, such as Cameroon.
We also welcome OIF’s efforts to uphold and promote the principle of multilingualism in the work of UN Secretariat and peacekeeping operations. We are convinced that multilingualism at the United Nations is instrumental in achieving the fundamental goals enshrined in the UN Charter. We reiterate the importance of using all six official UN languages, with all divisions and sub-divisions of the Secretariat treating them equally in order to avoid disproportionate use of English to the detriment of the remaining five official UN languages.
Russia has consistently stood for promoting comprehensive cooperation between the UN and various regional associations as per Chapter 8 of the UN Charter. Regionals play an increasingly meaningful role in today’s world. When connecting efforts with the United Nations on the basis of objective competitive advantage, they produce synergies that lead to more tangible and sustainable results. As a rule, regionals have better knowledge and understanding of local specifics and the situation on the ground, and have relevant material and technical resources at their disposal.
When it comes to sustaining international stability and fostering cooperation, such associations as CSTO, EAEU, CIS, SCO also have great potential to explore in terms of cooperation with the United Nations. Their political authority on the world stage is growing from year to year. In our statements we have repeatedly pointed out that interaction with these mechanisms is a priority of Russia’s foreign policy. We attach great importance to boosting their dialogue with the United Nations in such areas as countering terrorism, extremism, organized crime, and drug trafficking, as well as in economic integration. We will set forth our efforts to create conditions for engaging a CSTO joint contingent in peacekeeping activity of the United Nations.
Mr. President,
In conclusion, we hope that today’s online meeting will give an extra impetus to enhancing UN’s constructive interaction with inter-state associations for the benefit of strengthening international peace and security.
Thank you.
