BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah expressed Brunei Darussalam’s support for the ‘UN 80’ initiative, which reaffirms multilateralism and makes the United Nations (UN) more responsive in advancing peace, development, and sustainability.
In this regard, the Sultan congratulated UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for championing the timely and vital initiative.
The monarch said this in his speech during the 15th Asean-United Nations Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Malaysia on Oct 27.
Accompanying the Sultan was Prince ‘Abdul Mateen.
In a summit that highlighted global issues and the call for values that guide collective vision to confront transnational challenges, the Sultan reflected the UN’s centrality in humanity’s progress for eight decades, reducing extreme poverty and hunger, and advancing public health and global cooperation.
The UN’s longstanding partnership with Asean, anchored in shared commitment to multilateralism and international law is valuable.
As the world faces complex and interconnected challenges, which are compounded by a trust deficit in the multilateral system, Asean and the UN need to stand united. Looking ahead, regional efforts must complement the agenda set by the UN, including addressing the global threat of climate change.
The UN and the Asean Centre for Climate Change are encouraged to work closer to advance Asean’s climate ambitions and achieve a sustainable and resilient future for all. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
