In his speech at the UN General Assembly in New York, the Austrian Foreign Minister appealed mainly to EU states: they must deal more cooperatively with non-European countries.
New York. Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) delivered his speech at this year’s United Nations General Assembly on Thursday evening. He sharply criticized the current state of UN cooperation and called once again for the reform of the Security Council, in particular the integration of African states.
What is needed is “sensible and pragmatic multilateralism”, said the minister. The rules-based international order has borne fruit over the past 80 years. “But we have to ask ourselves honestly: is the multilateral system still fit for purpose? Can it last another 80 years? The answer is simple and worrying: no. We have to renovate it to preserve it.” Multilateralism is not “proactive and effective” enough.
International order “is not inclusive enough”
In recent days, Schallenberg has repeatedly called for a form of cooperation based on partnerships with non-European countries. He did it again on Thursday. “What we see, and what I hear loudly in this room, is that the international order is not inclusive enough.” He repeated the Austrian call for reform of the Security Council, which currently has five permanent members – the US, France, Greater Britain, Russia and China.
You can block resolutions by veto. The Security Council must offer seats to more countries that were excluded when it was founded after the Second World War: “including from Africa”. Ten additional members are currently being elected to the body for two years each; five of the non-permanent members are reappointed annually.
There is no “cancellation” of companies
The Minister of Foreign Affairs painted the picture of a world that is currently “undeniably” experiencing one of the “most difficult times in recent history”: “The greatest number of violent conflicts since the Second World War, including a comprehensive war of aggression by Russia against Ukraine. A worsening of the global climate crisis. Extreme weather events causing devastation across the world. Increasing poverty, social divisions and a regression in human rights and development successes that have been hard won over recent decades.” People live with a feeling of “permanent state of emergency”. It is up to politicians to present hopeful but also realistic visions.
Schallenberg criticized “polarizing populists” and disinformation campaigns – and once again criticized his European colleagues. “I strongly reject the idea of ’you are either with us or against us. The idea of canceling entire societies or cultures, returning to moralism, guilt or complacency. This is a lesson that we Europeans must also learn.”
“The world is not black or white”
For a country like Austria – “militarily neutral, export-oriented and in the heart of the European continent” – the answer clearly lies in cooperation, Schallenberg noted. Therefore, the UN must be “a space for real dialogue” and not an “echo chamber or a club of like-minded people”. “Let’s be realistic: the world is not black or white. It’s just not that easy,” Schallenberg said realistically, before exuding something like optimism: “We will emerge from this era of transformation stronger, richer and more resilient.”
The so-called UN General Assembly High-Level Week began on Monday. During the week, heads of state and high-ranking members of the government meet at the UN headquarters in New York. Schallenberg spoke on Thursday during bilateral talks with his counterparts Eli Cohen (Israel) and Saleumxay Kommasith (Laos). Further meetings with Jewish organizations and bilateral appointments with Cambodian Foreign Minister Sok Chenda Sophea and Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Technology and UAE Climate Representative, were planned for Friday. Al Jaber is also president of the World Climate Summit (COP 28) scheduled for December in Dubai; Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, who traveled back to Vienna on Wednesday night, also met with Al Jaber this week.