"Zweeds voorzitterschap: "internationale gemeenschap op de drempel van een nieuw tijdperk" (en)

In this age of globalisation, the work of the United Nations is needed more than ever before. And the EU will be a voice, speaking out on behalf of human rights and peace in the rest of the world. In his speech at the opening of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt emphasised the importance of a strong, well-functioning international community.

Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, in his capacity as President of the Council of the European Union, referred to the great challenges facing the world. He emphasised the EU’s role in encouraging the work of the UN and sharpening the instruments the organisation has at it’s disposal to handle crises and trouble spots.

”The European Union will remain a reliable partner. For security, for development and for human rights – always contributing actively to improve and strengthen the United Nations", Reinfeldt said.

The Prime Minister quoted Dag Hammarskjöld, the Swedish UN’s Secretary General between 1953 and 1961, with the words: “The pursuit of peace and progress, with its trials and its errors, its successes and its setbacks, can never be relaxed and never abandoned.”

Mr Reinfeldt added:

“This was true then and it is true today. The people of the world need to know that uniting nations is not a work of the past, but of the future.”

Reinfeldt stated that the fact that the USA has indicated a wish to work closer together with other countries “opens the door to a promising new era in international cooperation”.

In his speech, the Prime Minister also brought up the issues at the top of the EU’s and world agendas, calling for a worldwide agreement to reduce climate emissions.

A number of other issues, covering a wide diversity of areas, were also mentioned in the speech, including the Middle East issue, global economic stability and gender equality in developing countries.

The opening of the UN General Assembly, which gathers 192 countries in total, followed Tuesday's climate summit which was attended by, among others, USA President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Read Prime Minister Reinfeldt's full speech via the link to the right.