UN General Assembly Day 4: Talk of peace, climate and aid

Day 4 of the United Nations General Assembly saw speeches by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, and the leaders of several island nations.

Work on the sidelines was carried out on the deteriorating security situation in Haiti as well as the human rights situation in Belarus. 

'On the cusp of an historic peace' — Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday told the United Nations General Assembly, "There's no question the Abraham Accords heralded the dawn of a new age of peace," continuing, "But I believe that we are at the cusp of an even more dramatic breakthrough: an historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia."

Netanyahu said he believes, "making peace with more Arab states would actually increase the prospects of making peace between Israel and the Palestinians." Still, the Israeli leader said Palestinians should not be allowed to exercise "a veto over the process" of signing peace deals with Arab nations.

Though Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has confirmed the progress Netanyahu boasted of, he said any final agreement on the status of relations between the kingdom and the Jewish state would be contingent upon Israel's relations with the Palestinians.

After his speech, Netanyahu's office was forced to walk back what it said was a misstatement by the prime minister when he said, "Iran must face a credible nuclear threat" to keep it from attaining a nuclear weapon. Netanyahu's office said his written remarks called for a "credible military threat" and that he had simply misspoken. 

Island leaders: 'Beginning to question this annual parade of flowery speeches'

Leaders from some of the smallest nations on the planet — islands facing rising sea levels — say that inaction by the world's large industrial and developing nations are a direct threat to their very existence and implored nations represented at the General Assembly to finally act.

"There are many amongst us, the small and marginalized islands of our globe, surrounded by rising seas and scorched by rising temperatures, who are beginning to question this annual parade of flowery speeches and public pretense of brotherhood, otherwise known as the UN annual General Assembly," Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip Pierre told those gathered Friday.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, speaking Friday, said, "The problem is that those whose actions we most need may be so confident in their survival that they do not act early enough for us."

That complacency was a common thread earlier in the session as well, with Micronesia's President Wesley Simina saying: "Unfortunately, the international community has not done nearly enough to get us on track to limiting the global average temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius."

Earlier, Marshall Islands President David Kabua called for the establishment of an international financing tool to assist small island and low-lying atoll nations confronted with the effects of natural disaster.

Kabua said countries must recognize the world is failing to deliver on the Paris Agreement and determine a roadmap for course correction — including ending fossil fuel dependence. "These challenges might be inconvenient for large economies — but I can assure you, the climate's impact is already at our door."

US President Joe Biden intends to lend island leaders an ear when he convenes the second Pacific Islands Forum at the White House Monday. In a setting designed to showcase US engagement in the region in the face of a forward-leaning Chinese quest for influence, is set to be near the top of the agenda.

Pakistani caretaker PM pleads for release of long-overdue flood aid

Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, Pakistan's caretaker prime minister, told the UN General Assembly his country desperately needed to receive aid promised for rebuilding after it was devastated by massive floods last year that were found to have been aggravated by the global climate crisis.

More than 33 million people were impacted by the catastrophe, with more than 1,700 killed.

Kakar also implored wealthy nations to honor their promise to provide $100 billion in annual climate funding for less-developed nations.

Kakar said Pakistan was pitching specific projects from the country's $13 billion (€12.2 billion) resiliency and recovery plan to donors. "I hope our development partners will accord priority to the allocation of funds," he said.

Pakistan sorely needs the funds, yet donors are concerned about the fiscal health of the Islamic nation. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), for instance, delayed a bailout earlier this year, citing lack of fiscal reform.

Still, Pakistan says it has failed to receive the $10 billion it was promised by various donors, including the Islamic Development Bank, The World Bank, Saudi Arabia, the EU and China, after last year's flooding.

Kakar also pledged that Pakistan wants peace with it's neighbors before saying, "Kashmir is the key to peace between Pakistan and India." He urged the UN Security Council to honor its 1948 resolution calling for a plebiscite to determine the future of the region.

The two nuclear-armed neighbors dispute control of the region and have fought two full-blown wars and numerous regular skirmishes over it.

Calls for a UN-backed security mission to Haiti

The US has said that up to 12 countries back a multinational security mission in Haiti, to help the Caribbean country fight gang violence.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a meeting in New York to address the security situation in the country that the mission could deploy "within months."

Blinken said the Biden administration would work with the US Congress to provide $100 million (approximately €93.7 million) to back such a mission with logistical and financial assistance. He nevertheless stopped short of promising troops. 

"Ten to 12 [countries] came with concrete offers to this mission," State Department number two Victoria Nuland said after a ministerial meeting on Haiti on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Kenya has offered to lead the force with a contribution of 1,000 security personnel and Jamaica, the Bahamas and Antigua have made known their willingness to participate.

Addressing the UN General Assembly on Thursday, Kenyan President William Ruto said: "We must not leave Haiti behind."

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry addressed the General Assembly on Friday, calling for urgent help at what he described as a "critical point," saying that "criminals feel that they are all powerful."

"I am asking for help to allow Haitians to stay in their homes," he said, again requesting "help to bolster the national police of Haiti so that it can truly respond to the challenges it faces" and for Security Council authorization for that help.

Many countries have been cautious regarding their support for Henry's unelected administration, with the country left without any elected representatives since January. The prime minister argues that fair elections cannot be held amid the current insecurity.

rmt, js/kb (AFP, Reuters)