“Only by maintaining a rules-based system can countries of varied sizes, capacities, and cultures coexist in our world,” Ms. Mottley stated.
“The law of the jungle does not promise us a future or a livable planet,” she noted, highlighting the “crisis of truth” that is undermining institutions, eroding public trust, and turning news, science, and law into a spectacle.
“Losing a shared truth means our countries and global society lose their gravitational center,” she cautioned.
Discussing Conflicts and Crises
“Peace in Ukraine is essential, but suffering elsewhere must not be ignored. The world must not turn away from the horrors in Sudan and Gaza,” Ms. Mottley insisted, advocating for the release of hostages and denouncing disproportionate attacks on Palestinians.
She stressed the urgency of humanitarian funding, mentioning the need for $66 million for Gaza’s children and $200 million for Sudan in the next three months, mainly for food, water, and health needs.
Addressing Climate Change
On climate change, Ms. Mottley called on leaders to act with urgency and honesty, welcoming legal opinions on states’ obligations to reduce emissions and proposing a global binding framework on methane.
“The fossil fuel industry isn’t the enemy; it’s the emissions. We need political will to finance the green transition,” she said, criticizing the underfunding of climate finance and the insufficient capitalization of the Loss and Damage Fund.
She linked climate and development discussions to the broader issue of global governance, warning that debates risk becoming empty exercises without resources and a fair system.
“If we’re to be protected by a rules-based system, we must provide the funds needed to bridge the gap and achieve our desired outcomes,” Ms. Mottley emphasized.
She also discussed UN reform, insisting that the Security Council must reflect today’s multipolar world, critiquing what she saw as unfair exclusion from decision-making processes.
A Palestinian Child’s Symbol of Hope
Ms. Mottley concluded by describing a young Palestinian girl, aged six or seven, carrying her sister through the rubble in Gaza.
“Despite her clear pain, she carried the burden of ensuring their safety, a true picture of hope and resilience,” she remarked.
Urging global leaders to draw inspiration from this child’s courage, she said, “If a six-year-old can find hope amidst her suffering, then we, with greater resources and responsibilities, must muster that same resolve. The world urgently needs it.”
https://news.un.org/en/media/oembed?url=https%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Dy1rLlmHaBUE&max_width=0&max_height=0&hash=ai7aHEJuxRKW8VC88NVcKPCwZyWnNhUCnFS8vTs9EIQ" width="200" height="113" class="media-oembed-content" loading="eager" title="ógrafo🇧🇧🇧🇦🇧🇦🇨🇧🇦🇧🇩🇰🇰🇦🇧🇪🇳🇸🇱🇳🇰🇷🇨🇩🇺🇺🇱🇿🏎🏯🔚🏧🔪🇪🇰🇧🇦🚦🛟🌠🇬🇪🇺//🇧🇧 Barbados – Prime Minister Addresses United Nations General Debate, 80th Session | #UNGA
Source: https://news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2025/09/1165973