Effective world cooperation crucial for efforts to tackle poverty, climate change: Norway
Xinhua, September 23, 2016 Adjust font size:
Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg on Thursday underlined the importance of effective international cooperation for the efforts to deal with poverty, conflicts, climate change, migration and terrorism.
The statement came as the prime minister was taking the floor at the annual high-level debate of the UN General Assembly, a week-long event which opened here Tuesday.
"The response should not be to isolate ourselves, but to cooperate and find solutions," she said, adding that Norway will continue to provide assistance to the countries where conflicts are going and the people in need of humanitarian assistance.
In today's interconnected world, instability in the Middle East and North Africa is causing widespread human suffering and also leading to violent extremism in Europe, she noted.
The humanitarian situation in Syria "simply cannot be tolerated," she said, calling on global and regional powers to act to secure an enduring ceasefire and ensure that humanitarians have urgent access.
Meanwhile, the prime minister also called for strengthening the capability of the UN to help countries emerging from conflict, and said the international community has a clear responsibility to fight terrorism and prevent violent extremism.
"In order to do so, we need to work closely with civil society, women, young people, faith leaders, and with local communities," she said. Endit