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鈥淭he General Assembly is the only body which has the 193 countries represented and this body, when it speaks unanimously, when it decides on听a听matter, that is the international conscience,鈥澨鼳bdulla听Shahid听said,听ahead of the听76th听General Assembly session, which starts on听14听September.听听

He听added听that on issues such as climate change and听equitable access to vaccines, he would 鈥渘ever give up hope that humanity will rise to the occasion.鈥澨�听

Mr. Shahid听also spoke about the importance听of these issues and his overall presidency for his home country of the Maldives听- which he serves as foreign minister -听an island nation of 26 atolls southwest of India and Sri Lanka,听with a population of around听530,000 people.听

He will now represent a United Nations body that speaks听on behalf of nearly 7.9 billion.听

His priorities for the coming year include leading by听example听to听help the UN听reach the听鈥済old听standard鈥澨齩n issues such as听gender equality. That听means听participating听on panels with equal numbers of women and pushing for a more family-friendly听UN,听for mothers who are breast-feeding or taking care of small children.听听

Throughout听the听interview, Mr. Shahid reiterated the importance of multilateral听cooperation and the idea that听global challenges require unified global action.听

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.听

UN NEWS: Your candidacy for the position of President of General Assembly was built around the theme of hope. Given the continued waves of听COVID, unequal access to vaccines, and continued strife around the world 鈥� how do you plan to bring hope to the General Assembly?听听

Abdulla听Shahid:听I campaigned on听a听presidency of hope because I truly believed that given the devastation, the despair, and the heartache that we have over the last 18 months it is time that the United Nations as the world body that encompasses the entire international community, the whole 193 countries, it is time that we stand up and we give hope to our constituents.听 The Charter says 鈥淲e the听Peoples鈥� so it is time that we the people,听unite in giving the hope that people so desperately need.听

In听these听terrible听times of the听pandemic, we have seen听humanity at its best.听 We have seen that in the grave sacrifices of the frontline workers, we have seen the doctors, the nurses, the many, many ordinary individuals who have put their lives in harm鈥檚 way to help others.听 That is hope. That gives hope to humanity.听

We have seen a vaccine developed in record time - that gives hope for the United Nations to come together鈥�and begin the recovery听which is听what is required now.听 It is unity that gives strength.听

In the Maldives where I come from, we live day in day out,听with the threat of climate change, sea level rise,听but we will never give up hope that humanity will rise to the occasion.听 That we will survive.听 It is in the Maldivian ethos that we strive for the better, we try to do better鈥�To try for a better tomorrow.听

UN NEWS: You touched on the issue of climate change. You鈥檙e from the Maldives, a small island developing state. What are your priorities in this area for the presidency?听听

Abdulla听Shahid:I have been听talking about the 76th听session being a super session for nature and there is a reason - the 76th听session coincides with several major conferences on climate change and environment.听 COP26, the three major conferences from the treaties of Rio, the COP on biodiversity, COP on deforestation and COP on the high-level energy dialogue and the Ocean conference.听

All these major conferences are going to build a lot of momentum during this forthcoming session.听 I intend to make sure that I use my convening power as president to bring the international community together.听听

To听give听the final push.听 For example, in the run-up to COP26,听I intend to convene a special event here in the General Assembly in October to give countries the opportunity to come together and give that final political commitment.听 Yes, we are committed to the听1.5 degrees听[target to limit carbon emissions]. Yes,听a听$100 billion听target听is achievable. Yes, the听Paris听Agreement听[on climate change]听is doable. Yes, we care about humanity. That we will listen to the cries of planet earth.听 听

We are seeing it every year.听 We are seeing the pain our planet is going through. We听are seeing extensive floods, unbearable hot weather, forest fires. You听name it, we are seeing it.听 So, this is time for the United Nations to come together and give that message of hope that yes,听humanity will survive.听

UN NEWS: The other very urgent priority right now is听COVID-19. What are your goals for this presidency?听听听听

Abdulla听Shahid:听After I was selected, and I was speaking here at this General Assembly,听I spoke about vaccinating the world because it is very clear that no one is safe until everyone is safe.听 It is easy to say but听is听also doable.听 I believe it is doable because the international community has the capacity鈥�Just by saying that听no one听is safe until everyone is safe is not enough. If听we can come together, we will be able to vaccinate the world鈥�by the end of 2022 we will be able to do it.听听

I intend to convene a vaccine event, later this year or early next year.听 Once again to bring countries together to take stock and to chart out a way forward.听

We discussed some of the major issues facing the world right now.听How can the General Assembly make a difference given that 鈥� unlike the听Security Council听鈥� it lacks enforcement powers?听听

The enforcement power of the General Assembly, I sincerely believe听is听more than听that of听the听Security听Council.听The听enforcement comes from the听membership. The General Assembly is the only body which has the 193听member听countries represented,听and this body when it speaks unanimously, when it decides on matter,听that is听鈥榯he international conscience鈥�.听

So,听we have to make sure that the听General听Assembly functions;听functions more pro-actively;听functions more effectively;听so听the message to the rest of the world, to us,听is clear. The General Assembly sets standards, the General Assembly shows the way forward and the General Assembly draws the line,听as to听what is acceptable and what is not.听

Therefore, I believe that the most important organ of the听United听Nations and the world,听is the General Assembly of the United Nations.听 It has the moral authority to set standards.听

UN NEWS: Can I ask a follow-up, because you speak about efficiency, about听unity.听How do you hope to use your position as the President of the General Assembly to bring about that unity?听

Abdulla听Shahid:听I do understand that we will have divisions, we will have difference of opinions, we would have different positions on issues, but my time as Speaker of the Parliament and my parliamentary听experience shows me that it is possible to solve issues through dialogue. It鈥檚 important听that we keep talking,听that听we find opportunity to sit down,听put our views across to each other and then we will be able to come out with resolution of issues.听

If you look at world history, we have seen conflict erupt when opportunities for dialogue听closed, when people decided听to lock themselves up and distance themselves.听 This assembly brings people together,听it provides the opportunity for people to interact with each other,听and we should use it to the maximum.听

UN NEWS: You brought up your Government back in the Maldives. Within your Foreign Ministry, you were able to bring gender equity across that Ministry. What are your goals here for your presidency?听听

Abdulla听Shahid:听I decided to bring the experience of my听ministry听in the Maldives,听to my cabinet, so my cabinet is gender听balanced.听 Many of the senior positions are held by women and I also have given the commitment,听and once again I pledge that I will not sit in any panel that is not gender balanced.听

I also intend to make sure that I talk about this more and more.听I want to make the United Nations not only the gold standard setter but also the gold standard practitioner.听 In that context I intend to speak to the Secretary-General and the Secretariat and make the United Nations more听family听-friendly.听That is a task that I intend to undertake.听

I am also going to continue with the advisory group on women that former president听[Volkan]听Bozkir听had constituted.听 I also intend to have regular sessions with the women PRs听[Permanent Representatives]听who are resident here so that I听will benefit from their viewpoints.听 I intend to make sure that the issue of gender continues to be one of my top priorities during my presidency.听

UN NEWS: I鈥檓 very curious, Sir, as a mother myself. What are some of your ideas for making the UN more family friendly?

Abdulla听Shahid:听During my campaign I met a female ambassador, she shared with me the horrific story that on a day when her babysitter got cancelled at the last minute, she had no choice but to bring her two little children but to leave them in her car and leave them in the UN garage with a driver. There should be a family room where children should be able to be cared for these are issues that we should sort out.

UN NEWS: My last question is about young people. Not quite as young as we鈥檙e talking about right now. But youth, how do you hope to bring youth into the General Assembly, into what is happening in this hall?听听

Abdulla听Shahid:听I听was a young diplomat when I first had the experience of attended the UN General Assembly in 1988. It was my first听General Assembly experience as a young diplomat.听

It is my experience during those years that committed me to multilateralism.听 What I saw here in this General Assembly in the corridors and within the committees, that gave me the confidence that multilateralism is the only way forward. I want to give that opportunity to young diplomats from under-represented countries and that is why I have launched a President of the General assembly Youth Fellowship Programme.听 I intend to bring听a number of听young diplomats from under-represented countries give them the opportunity听to听work in my office听and听with the countries they represent at the missions so that they will be able to experience what happens here. Their听work听will be coordinated from my office and at the end of the year they will be given a certificate to prove that they have performed their duties well.听听听

But who knows maybe one of these young diplomats who gets through the fellowship, may become the President of the GA at a future听date.听 Investing in听multilateralism is what we should do now.听 COVID-19 has once again shown us now that multilateralism is the only way forward. The best investment in multilateralism is investing in young people.听 And that is what I am going to do.听

UN NEWS: What does your presidency mean for your country of Maldives?听

Abdulla听Shahid:听I am taking office knowing very well the challenges that I will face.听 I have been asked many many times, why did you throw your name into the hat听at听such a hectic time?听I would say this is the best decision that I have taken.听 Because it is the one opportunity where you can make a difference and one opportunity where a small country like the Maldives can听make a听difference. For the Maldivian people it is a great听honour. It is a privilege听for听a Maldivian to be presiding over the General Assembly.听