At the UN General Assembly in New York, President Mauricio Macri reiterated his vision of Argentina as a reliable international partner, and as a bona fide mediator in regional and international politics. He called on Venezuela to recognize its humanitarian crisis and announced that Argentina would be appealing to the International Criminal Court.
In his speech at the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, President Mauricio Macri of Argentina reinforced his government’s commitment to “building consensus for fair and sustainable development,” as part of the profound change that Argentine society is undergoing, “without taking shortcuts or compromising the country’s future.”
“We are betting on an intelligent insertion into the world, based on the values of our region of Latin America and the Caribbean,” a region of peace, “with a youthful population full of talent and vitality,” he stated, and highlighted the ongoing dialogue and cooperation between the countries of the trading blocs Mercosur and the Pacific Alliance.
Alluding to Argentina’s intelligent integration to help construct “a stable and inclusive regional and world order, one that respects our values of peace, democracy and human rights,” President Macri expressed his deep concerns over the human rights situation in Venezuela. Argentina will be appealing to the International Criminal Court over “the crimes against humanity of the Venezuelan dictatorship,” he announced.
“I call on Venezuela to recognize the humanitarian crisis,” to allow international humanitarian efforts into the country. Argentina has already received 130,000 Venezuelans, as part of a broad regional response seeking to support and integrate the displaced.
In recognition of the UN General Assembly’s commitment to safeguard international peace and security, the president called for cooperative responses to tackle “severe threats, such as organized crime, cybercrime and terrorism,” and praised international cooperation in successfully clamping down on drug trafficking and drug-related deaths in the region.
President Macri also condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. He called again on Iran to cooperate with Argentine judicial authorities in their investigations into the 1994 AMIA bombing in the city of Buenos Aires that killed 85 people and injured hundreds, and commemorated the five Argentines who lost their lives in the New York terror attack in October 2017.
While reaffirming the Argentine government’s commitment to its renewal of relations with the United Kingdom, based on building mutual trust and open and positive dialogue, President Macri reiterated Argentina’s claim over the Malvinas, South Georgia and Sandwich Islands, and their surrounding maritime zones. He also emphasized Argentina’s “strong commitment to the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which we put at the centre of our government’s policies to address poverty, climate change and gender equality.”
President Macri concluded his speech making reference to Argentina’s presidency of the G20 this year, and the Leaders’ Summit in Buenos Aires on 30 November and 1 December, the first ever to take place in South America.
“We are presiding over the G20 with a spirit of unity and a continual pursuit for consensus,” he said. “The results achieved so far are truly promising. Joint commitments have prevailed at all G20 ministerial and working group meetings, such as the G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting, where all countries expressed their commitment to revitalizing the multilateral trading system.”
“The international community is facing challenges that require effective commitments. They demand solutions by means of dialogue and consensus building,” he concluded.
At the UN, the president was accompanied by Jorge Faurie, Minister for Foreign Affairs & Worship; Nicolás Dujovne, Treasury Minister; Fulvio Pompeo, Secretary for Strategic Affairs; Senator Esteban Bullrich; and Martín García Moritán, Ambassador to the UN.
President Macri has been in New York since yesterday, holding meetings with investors and attending a number of events, including a reception organized by US President Donald Trump.
On Monday evening, President Macri was awarded the Atlantic Council’s Global Citizen Award, at a ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street. “I take this award as recognition of all the Argentine people, for the courage that we have shown,” he said on receiving the award. “Argentines decided to change, and we changed because we understood we could not let populism deeply affect our society. Since the beginning of my government we have bet on strategic integration and mature relations with the world.”
“We have demonstrated our vocation as a reliable partner for business, a responsible member of the international community, and an honest broker of regional and international politics,” he added. “We are glad we are working together, trying hard to become part of the solution to global problems.”
On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly today, President Macri met with a number of world leaders, including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, and the heads of State of the Mercosur countries.
