Statement by President Michael D. Higgins on the importance of multilateral relations

Statement by President Michael D. Higgins on the importance of multilateral relations

Date: Wed 10th Sep, 2025 | 16:36

"As we reflect on the 80 years of the existence of the United Nations, not only member states but the peoples of the world should be concerned at an incredibly barren moment in terms of the moral principles by which we might live together.

This is reflected in a push-back from what was a moment that offered real change in 2015, with the adoption of a commitment to sustainability and a willingness to change economic models in the direction of ecological responsibility through the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

This was a moment that engaged the public of the world inter-generationally, provided an example of the benefits of multilateralism, and offered so much hope. Distinguished scholars such as Professor Ian Gough had written of how such an achievement might be accompanied by meaningful action on global hunger, justice and inclusion.

In recent times, a militaristic discourse draws on fear rather than on the possibilities of international diplomacy and the rule of law demonstrated in 2015 and on which the United Nations aspires to be built. Such developments challenge us all in the deepest sense.

Such effects are not confined to the international fora, they contaminate our capacity in so many other areas - such as health, education and social protection - and can be regarded as root problems in our very survival.

We have arrived at a situation where such little space is given for such a consideration as we need, while at the same time so much hate and abuse is filling networks that reject accountability, as constitutes a discourse that we can no longer continue to neglect at every level.

Such neglect has the effect of conferring impunity on actors and actions that the most based moral consideration would reject."