Message by Ambassador Munir Akram Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN On United Nations Day (October 24, 2024)

On the 79th anniversary of the UN, I would like to extend my heartiest felicitations to all the Member States and the UN family world over, who have, over the course of nearly eight decades, tirelessly worked to uphold the values of peace, security, cooperation, and human dignity that define this very core of this vital organization.

Since its inception, the UN has remained a forum for diplomacy, a platform for collective action for the common good and more importantly a beacon of hope for the peoples of this globe. As we commemorate this day, we are reminded of the founding principles of this august organization that remain as valid and relevant today as they were 79 years ago, if not more.

The UN Day this year, comes at a time when international relations remain strained by the geo-political tensions, rivalries and conflicts that have challenged the very essence of what the UN stands for in a manner that has never been seen before. Amidst the unprecedented challenges from ongoing conflicts to economic crises, threat of pandemics, the existential threat posed by climate change, increased frequency and severity of natural disasters as well as the man-made ones, multilateralism and not protectionism and international cooperation and not confrontation remains the only path that can bring us out of the quagmire that we collectively face today.

Despite the desperate situation that we face, hope is still alive. At the recently concluded 79th session of the UN General Assembly, against all odds, we were able to adopt ‘the Pact of the Future’, which interalia, which demonstrates our will to act, cooperate and fill critical gaps through our collective action.

As a responsible member of the international community and an ardent proponent of multilateralism, Pakistan has been and will continue its steadfast support of the United Nations and its objectives. From our longstanding contributions to UN peacekeeping operations to our role in championing climate action, poverty eradication, and the rights of all peoples, including the right of self-determination, Pakistan will continue to uphold the core values of this organization. We remain dedicated to working with all member states to build a more peaceful, just, and prosperous world.

On this day, let us renew our commitment to the vision of a united world, a world where our coming generations have a better future, where the dignity of every person is respected, where conflicts are resolved peacefully, and the people, from Kashmir to Palestine, who continue their legitimate struggle for self-determination are treated justly without any discrimination.

I am joined by team at the Pakistan Mission to wish the United Nations continued success in its noble mission and look forward to working constructively as we strive to fulfill our shared aspirations.

Thank you.