Speech by the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, at the opening of the new UN Tourism headquarters

SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SPAIN, PEDRO SÁNCHEZ

Thank you very much.

Dear Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, Vice-President, Ministers, Director-General of the World Health Organisation, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

Well, first of all, please allow me to address you informally, and secondly, at an event focused on cooperation, let me begin with a message of affection and sympathy for the Venezuelan people following the earthquake on 24 June. And, of course, we would also like to pay tribute to the rescue teams who, at this very moment, are still saving lives amongst the rubble. May empathy, therefore, be transformed into hope with the support of the international community. And, of course, Spain will be there alongside the Venezuelan people.

I would also like to begin by congratulating Shaikha Al Nowais, the first woman to head UNWTO in the Agency's 50-year history.

She said so herself. I believe that her appointment clearly represents a step forward for equality, but I also think it represents something much deeper and is a sign of the direction we need to take.

As she herself has pointed out, 21st-century tourism must be built on sustainability, inclusion and cooperation… in short, on global responsibility.

And there is no better place to symbolise that ambition than this building we are opening today. A building that clearly looks to the future without forgetting its past. This former conference centre, which for decades hosted international dialogue, is once again opening its doors to the world.

On its façade, the mural by Joan Miró has always been a call for creativity, openness and, of course, the connection between cultures. Today, that legacy also looks to the future with the forthcoming inclusion of Daniel Canhogar's artwork in the foyer of this new headquarters. I don't know where Daniel is, but I'd also like - since we've had the chance to share in the presentation - to congratulate him and, of course, to acknowledge his achievements. Daniel's work, as I was saying, translates that same universal calling into the language of our time - the language of data, interconnection and global flows.

In a way, Miró speaks to us of a world he longed to discover, whilst Canogar speaks to us of a world that is already connected and wishes to remain so.

Taken together, this building serves as a bridge between eras, a symbol of continuity, but also of transformation, because that, in essence - as the panellists have also pointed out - is what multilateralism is all about: the creation of spaces that are not only physical and political, but also human and cognitive, where nations and societies can meet, engage in dialogue and cooperate.

And Spain wants to be just that: a place where people come together. Well, I believe that the Government of Spain's commitment is also reflected here by the range of departments represented at this opening ceremony. The Government of Spain's commitment to multilateralism is by no means a whim; rather, it mirrors who we are as a society - a society deeply rooted in solidarity.

It is certainly striking that, at a time - as Dr Tedros rightly pointed out earlier - when the priorities of many governments are shifting, 84% - 84% - of Spanish society supports the provision of humanitarian aid, the United Nations and international solidarity. 77% believe that we should cooperate despite the financial cost involved. And eight out of ten Spaniards believe that tackling global poverty should be one of the European Union's top priorities.

I believe this overwhelming, broad-based public support positions my country - our country, Spain - as one of the nations most committed to international cooperation. And, at the same time, it ensures that the rest of the world sees us as a country firmly committed to multilateralism.

Because let's be clear: our world doesn't need any more selfishness or fear. What our societies and our countries need is to take a step forward so that we can come together again on a range of issues. Societies that prioritise collaboration over competition, solidarity and empathy - why not say it - and also over hatred and rivalry.

At a time when some are very openly questioning the value of international cooperation and, regrettably, we are seeing a resurgence of rhetoric calling for withdrawal, isolation or, indeed, as I said earlier, rearmament - not so much moral as military - I believe that here in Spain we are defending precisely the opposite.

We believe that no global challenge can be tackled in isolation. This may seem like stating the obvious, but it really does need to be said. Common sense sometimes seems to go out of the window. We maintain that cooperation is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of strength. We believe that building shared spaces is the only way to protect what truly matters to us: peace, prosperity and human dignity.

That was our message to the rest of the world exactly one year ago, at the Financing for Development Summit we held in Seville, a very important milestone for the multilateral system. It was a milestone for our country, too. If that event proved anything, it was that, even in these difficult times, multilateralism remains a source of hope.

And it's certainly true that we can achieve a great deal when we work together. In Seville, the Government of Spain - and I personally had the honour - presented the plan to support multilateralism. We devised a clear roadmap that defined, above all, how our country could redouble its commitment to the multilateral sphere at a time when others are clearly withdrawing from it - charting a path forward in contrast to those taking steps backwards. A roadmap based on three key principles that I would like to share with you all once again.

First, shelter; second, support; and third, reform. And a year on, we can say it loud and clear - and with justifiable pride: Spain is delivering on its commitments. First and foremost, we are serving as a refuge of multilateralism.

This wonderful building - situated in one of the most central and highly prized locations in our capital - stands as a testament to this, coinciding, as I mentioned earlier, with the 50th anniversary of UN Tourism's presence in our country. The same is true of the future United Nations House in Madrid, the refurbishment of which is already under way and which will bring together under one roof a significant part of the United Nations system present in Spain. It won't just be a physical space. I believe it is, first and foremost, a political statement, a commitment to cooperation in the face of fragmentation, as mentioned earlier.

So too is the arrival and strengthening of international institutions. Just today, as mentioned earlier, the World Bank Group has opened its office in Madrid, so thank you, Alfonso, for making this possible.

And alongside the bank, the United Nations Development Programme, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the International Telecommunication Union, the United Nations System Staff College, the International Monetary Fund, and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean have chosen our country - Spain - as a place to work and grow, expanding their presence here in recent months.

Spain, therefore, wants to be that place of refuge. It also aims to be a place where major global debates are held, just as we have hosted over the past eight years. We did so, for example, with COP25. Well, you'll remember that there was a series of, well, difficult situations in Chile. We had to take charge of this COP at a difficult time for Chile - and, naturally, for the international community as well.

The same was true for the NATO summit. It was true for the Seville Conference, and we will play that role again at the upcoming Ibero-American Summit this coming November.

For we know that leadership naturally entails bringing people together. Spain, of course, also seeks to contribute through leadership and talent. We have Álvaro, for example, who has done extraordinary work at the helm of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and whose re-election we support. We also have candidates with solid experience to lead various United Nations agencies - candidates who, I am certain, will represent us and, above all, represent the values held by the vast majority of us present here.

Two: strengthening multilateralism.

I believe that in the current international context, we must highly value the contribution Spain is making, given its capacity, size, and resources.

We have increased our official development assistance by 13%, reaching over 4.550 billion euros for the year 2025. We remain committed to moving toward that target of 0.7% of gross national income. And it's not just about what we invest, but also how we do it. Because we are committed to more effective cooperation, to focusing on debt sustainability, and to tax justice - which is also one of the issues that, unfortunately, has ceased to be at the heart of the debate on multilateralism, but which we in Spain certainly refuse to abandon.

Or, as has been said here, the mobilisation of not only public but also private resources to tackle all the challenges that lie ahead.

We believe that international solidarity is not an expense; it is an investment. This was mentioned easlier in the security section. Well, it seems that everything is about security these days. I would focus more on stability. A stability that is necessary for global prosperity at such a particularly complex time as the one we are living through.

Nor is it an empty phrase, as some would have us believe. It is a concept which I believe to be worthy and valuable.

We saw it just over a month ago. The management of the hantavirus outbreak was not only, as has been said here, an example of international cooperation. It was also the clearest demonstration of Spain's commitment when it comes to responding to the call of a central institution like the World Health Organisation.

I have served, alongside many other ministers here with me, as president throughout the pandemic, and I will always be deeply grateful to the WHO - and, of course, to Dr Tedros - for the work we did, the efforts we shared and the incredibly difficult times we went through during that terrible COVID pandemic.

There is one truth that I believe we must not forget, and that is that no one is safe until we are all safe. That's something Professor Tedros says time and time again.

However, the world today is not the world envisioned when the United Nations Charter was signed. Saying 'no' to war, far from being just a slogan, is, I believe, a demand that is now more necessary than ever.

That is why, thirdly, Spain stands with many other countries - as well as with countless individuals in civil society who are not in government but who command my deep respect and play a vital role in defending and strengthening the multilateral system.

We tend to focus a great deal on governments, but there are also individuals, think tanks, non-governmental organisations, academics, businesspeople - many people from a wide range of backgrounds - who advocate for a strong multilateral system, and that means it needs to be revitalised and reformed.

And I also say REFORM in capital letters, because the world has clearly changed. The players were different 80 years ago, and our institutions need to adapt too. This is not a matter of idealism; it is a matter of pragmatism.

It is an approach rooted in what is achievable, yet also - logically - in ambition and the urgency dictated by the times we live in.

Because, you see, the window of opportunity doesn't just open for those who want to go backwards. In fact, I believe that the lack of reform is what has, in a way, socially legitimised those whose aim is to undermine the multilateral system. Therefore, those of us who believe in the multilateral system must get a move on to reform it for the better and strengthen it. It's also open to those of us who, naturally, want to move forward, and so I think now is the time.

We advocate a system that is far more representative, more transparent and more effective. A system capable of responding to today's challenges with legitimacy. We also argue that global leadership must be more inclusive, that it must bear a closer resemblance to the world it represents. That is why we believe the time has come for a woman to finally take up the post of United Nations Secretary-General. Not out of a sense of propriety, not because it is politically correct, not for symbolic reasons, but out of intelligence. Not to make amends for the past, but out of a need for the future.

An order designed in 1945, with only minor adjustments over the past 80 years, cannot govern the 21st century - a century as complex as the one we live in, filled with challenges and advances that have both their bright and dark sides.

It will not be enough to respond to the next pandemic; to halt the climate emergency; to prevent conflicts; to address that humanistic approach to technological development; or, ultimately, to ensure that we are the ones who master artificial intelligence, rather than the other way around - unless we reform the multilateral system. Reforming multilateralism, therefore, is not about calling it into question, but about safeguarding its future. It takes the wind out of the sails of those who want to undermine it. And Spain, naturally, will be at the forefront of this debate, alongside other countries and other stakeholders. And to ensure that this reform becomes a reality.

I would like to conclude by mentioning a woman from Almería, Carmen de Burgos, who envisioned a world where peoples would draw closer together. Some regard her as the first female war correspondent. She was a pioneering, cosmopolitan journalist who blazed a trail and advocated that borders should connect rather than divide.

Today, in this building that is being reborn, in this institution that looks to the future, and through this shared commitment to multilateralism that we are celebrating, we are a little closer to making that vision a reality.

I believe that is the message I would like to convey to all the institutions here with us today, which have made Spain their home in the world. I would also like to address the diplomatic corps, which I see is well represented here today and which knows that their countries will always find in Spain not only an ally, but also a friend and a brother nation. Because that is how we view international relations: through the prism of fraternity.

Because we know that we will reach a population of 50 million Spaniards - who are our primary concern - this very year. I am sure of it.

Incidentally, you are aware that tomorrow we are concluding a process to regularise the migrant population in our country - something I am naturally very happy to share, as they make Spain a better country. A country that recognizes both the rights and the duties of its society as a whole is, without a doubt, a better country.

In any case, it is, of course, our duty as the Government of Spain to look after those 50 million Spaniards and address their concerns. But I am also convinced that we can only succeed in this if the rest of the world is also doing well - or, at the very least, somewhat better.

If our planet is a more open, more united, more compassionate, more humane and slightly more prosperous place, Spaniards will also be better off. And so, building spaces for coming together - like this one - is ultimately about building spaces for the future.

That is the path Spain has chosen. And I, of course, feel very proud to lead a government and a society that applauds decisions of this kind.

Congratulations and best of luck.

(Transcript edited by the State Secretariat for Communication)

Original speech in Spanish

Non official translation