The European Union marks its longstanding partnership and shared goals with the UN

24.10.2019

24 October marks UN Day. On this day in 1945 the UN Charter entered into force and the United Nations formally came into existence as the ashes of the Second World War were settling.

As EU High Representative Federica Mogherini said in a statement that on this day "we celebrate the laying of the first stone of the most universal multilateral project in history: the United Nations…since then the organisation has worked to deliver on peace, sustainable development and human rights – fundamental principles and goals that the European Union shares."

One of the main events of the year is UN General Assembly (UNGA) which is held every year in September. This year the EU supported the climate summit which preceded the week, and jointly with UNICEF launched a global campaign on children’s rights #TheRealChallenge to empower children and encourage them to speak up.  To mark the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of Child, the campaign will highlight real, daily challenges children across the world face. Safeguarding the world’s peace and stability – from Lebanon and Syria, to ending gender-based violence, was again at the core of EU’s actions and its call for multilateralism. 

"As a stubborn defender of multilateralism as the best possible way to find solutions to global crises, the European Union works closely with the United Nations in all regions of the world, encompassing more than 170 countries," Federica Mogherini reminded on the 2019 UN Day. 

In her statement she drew attention to the different parts of the world where the EU supports the UN, "from Syria to Libya, from Afghanistan to Venezuela, our strong partnership contributes to safeguarding peace and security, promoting sustainable development, managing migration in a humane and respectful manner, and strengthening human rights, including education for all and gender equality. And the European Union is determined to continue to exercise its best leadership as a reliable and collaborative global actor." 

She also highlighted a joint commitment to humanity: "In our common UN house, we are at the forefront to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We have set up an unprecedented trilateral partnership with the UN and the African Union to assist and protect refugees and migrants in Libya and the Sub-Saharan region. We will continue to defend achievements of multilateral diplomacy like the nuclear deal with Iran.” 

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She stressed the EU would keep working, through multilateral partnerships, also on emerging issues such as the global challenges in the sectors of technology, digitalisation and artificial intelligence.

Mogherini also reiterated the EU's support for the UN reform process. She said that as EU we would continue to invest in a strong and effective UN system, and to support the full implementation of the UN reforms, “because we believe that international rules and international organisations are a guarantee for each and every one of us”. She repeated  the words of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, saying the UN and the EU are the "two greatest peace projects of our time" and together they will keep being a force for peace, stability and protection of human rights.


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