Your Excellency, Ambassador Wafiq Rahimi, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lebanon, representing His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Sir Derek Plumbly, Special Coordinator of the Secretary-General for Lebanon,
Your Excellencies, ambassadors, heads of delegations and representatives of international organizations and United Nations bodies operating in Lebanon,
Distinguished guests,

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you, honoured guests, to the United Nations House in Beirut. This is a special day in the history of this venerable organization. In just a few minutes, three new flags will fly at full mast before its headquarters, not only adorning them, but also bringing the heart of this organization closer to a long-cherished goal which is integration among Arab countries. In a few minutes, and to the accompaniment of the tunes of “The Sanctuary Defenders”, “Oh My Homeland” and “The Birthplace of the Free”, played by the band of the Internal Security Forces, the flags of Libya, the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Tunisia will be raised, capping the process of joining the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, ESCWA.

We welcome these new countries as active and energetic members of the Arab region, linking its Mashreq to its Maghreb and to extend from the Atlantic ocean to the Arabian Gulf, drawing on a deep belief in the integrity of the Arab world’s journey and path, and in the mission of this organization.

The clear vision of the ESCWA member countries at the twenty-seventh ministerial session facilitated the entry of these three new members by unanimously endorsing their request for membership. That decision was a reflection of the ministers’ awareness of both present times and future challenges.

Their message was clear.

Full Arab integration, which takes into account its economic, social and cultural dimensions, can no longer remain a purely intellectual luxury. Rather, it is a strategic choice and a fundamental prerequisite of an Arab renaissance, which can provide security and welfare for people, and prosperity and invincibility for countries. In that context, and as the regional arm of the United Nations in this region, ESCWA must support its member countries in transforming this vision from a mere dream to reality.

Joining the Commission will not only have a positive impact on Libya, Morocco and Tunisia, but also on the other countries of the region and on the competence of the Commission itself. It will not only strengthen our capacity to harmonize our goals and programmes with the priorities of the region, and improve our policy responses to its needs, but will also bring us closer in line with other regional organizations, in particular the League of Arab States and its specialized agencies, and the operating offices of United Nations agencies in member countries. All that will give ESCWA an enhanced role as a source of new knowledge, a hub for shared expertise, and a vital link between the regional and international levels.

Welcoming Libya, Morocco and Tunisia on behalf of all my colleagues at ESCWA, I reaffirm our commitment to pursue the implementation of the second part of the resolution adopted by the ministerial session, in which all Arab countries were invited to join our ranks in the coming years, and to make this organization a home for them all.

Finally, I should like to express my sincere thanks to Lebanon, which hosts our headquarters with unfailing generosity and support. My deepest appreciation goes to the friends of this organization for working with us in real partnership to achieve a better future for all.

Thank you.