INTERVENTION BY
MR. MOHD HAFIZ OTHMAN
MNISTER COUNSELLOR, PERMANENT MISSION OF MALAYSIA
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
ON ‘OUR COMMON AGENDA’ THEMATIC CONSULTATION 3 “FRAMEWORKS FOR A PEACEFUL WORLD – PROMOTING PEACE, INTERNATIONAL LAW AND DIGITAL COOPERATION’
NEW YORK, 21-22 FEBRUARY 2022
Thank you, Madame Moderator, and thank you too to all senior officials from the UN system for your briefings.
2. As reiterated on several occasions, Malaysia welcomes the proposed “new agenda for peace” as contained in the Our Common Agenda (OCA) Report. Please be assured of Malaysia’s readiness to contribute to the future discussion on this proposal with a view to strengthening international peace and security.
3. With regard to the OCA report and the proposed new agenda for peace, we would have liked to see greater emphasis be given to the aspect of conflict resolution, including mechanisms to address the root causes of the conflicts. We also note the absence of the appeal for a global ceasefire in the report, which was advocated by the Secretary-General in 2020. As many of you are aware, Malaysia with other 9 Member States initiated the Joint Statement on Global Ceasefire in 2020- endorsed by more than 170 countries. In this respect, we stand ready to work with Member States, partners, and the UN system in promoting further this agenda.
4. We also note that the OCA report elaborates the current state-of-play surrounding the danger posed by nuclear weapons, however, it falls short of urging or encouraging the Member States on the specific course of action. My delegation also believes that it is crucial to make it clear that the arms race is not and must not be part of our “common agenda.” We must end the arms race in every corner of the world. All parties must refrain from using military actions deemed provocative that could potentially escalate tension and spark conflict.
5. Let me conclude by touching briefly on the process. Moving ahead and in the relevant consultations, my delegation stresses the importance of striving for better inclusivity. For us, inclusivity is not just about the involvement of actors/stakeholders outside the UN, but every attempt must be made to strive for inclusivity in the category of representation. For example, it is unfortunate to see the panellist discussion later this afternoon would only involve the participation of NGOs and speakers mostly from western countries or I would say global north.
6. There is no voice from the Asian continent, which constitutes about 60% of the world’s population. As rightly pointed out by the High Commissioner for Human Rights in her intervention this morning, it is important to listen to a diverse set of voices in engaging on important topics such as peace and security. Like other continents and regions, Asian continent is not free from conflict, and we can’t stress enough that national and regional contexts are critical in conflict prevention and resolution.
7. We hope that this matter will be adequately addressed in our future engagement on this proposed new agenda for peace.
I thank you.
