The President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sadyr Zhaparov, delivered a speech today, September 23, in New York City (USA), at the General Debate of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly.
Text of the Head of State’s speech:
Mr. President,
Mr. Secretary-General,
Distinguished heads of delegations, ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, I would like to sincerely congratulate Ms. Annalena Baerbock on her election as President of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly and wish her success in her work.
This year, we are celebrating the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, a unique organization that has been protecting peace, security and development on earth for almost a century.
Despite the many conflicts over the past 80 years, thankfully, the world has not faced a third world war.
Of course, the United Nations has been instrumental in avoiding such a catastrophe.
The organization has not only remained a platform for international dialogue, but has also played a special role in preventing global conflicts.
Today, regionalism trends are gaining strength in world politics.
Prices are rising, liquidity is tight, and the economy is in a war of sanctions.
The threat of terrorism and extremism is affecting all countries.
Despite the current challenges, the United Nations remains the only universal organization with moral authority and institutional capacity.
Today, Kyrgyzstan is proud of its political stability and ongoing socio-economic growth.
These achievements did not come easily to us.
The price of achieving freedom and independence was very high for us.
But I can say one thing with certainty: Kyrgyzstan has established itself as a state!
This achievement allows us to set great goals for the future.
International organizations, including the United Nations, recognize Kyrgyzstan as one of the freest and most stable countries on the Eurasian continent, with a strong civil society.
A large-scale and uncompromising fight against corruption and crime is a priority of state policy in Kyrgyzstan!
Today, we face the task of political renewal and economic development in line with the demands of the future.
We set ourselves the task of improving the investment climate, building an information society, as well as a fair and transparent state administration.
Ladies and gentlemen!
Every year, the leaders of all the countries of the world gather in New York to remind themselves and each other of the great mission for which the Organization was created.
I am also here in New York with this mission.
Today, my diplomats have prepared a polite text, taking into account the international diplomatic situation.
But this year, I decided that I will not be a diplomat on this high podium.
This year, I want to speak from this rostrum not only as a head of state, but also as an ordinary person, an ordinary citizen of my country, expressing his true opinion and thoughts on international events taking place in the world.
This year is my fourth time delivering a speech at the UN General Assembly.
For three years in a row, I have come here and spoken pleasant, beautiful words.
Today, I have decided to speak openly and directly about the problems that trouble the hearts of millions of people.
In different parts of the world – in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia – new armed conflicts and wars are breaking out.
Millions of people are losing their homes, forced to leave their native lands, Millions are becoming victims.
Who suffers the most? First of all – ordinary people!
We cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering of many peoples: Palestine, Ukraine, Sudan, Syria and others, where military actions continue, civilians are killed, human rights are violated.
The world community, applying double standards, by prioritizing these conflicts as “this is more important, and that is less important”, taking into account its selfish geopolitical interests.
The conflict in Ukraine has been going on for almost four years, people are dying and fleeing the country.
We support the efforts of US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to find solutions for a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine.
We are interested in this!
Because we are also suffering from the consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
Unilateral sanctions have a negative impact on us, a country that is just getting back on its feet.
Kyrgyzstan is making every effort to independently strengthen its economy.
Therefore, we regard unjustified sanctions as interference in the internal affairs of the country and as pressure that hinders the development of our still emerging economy.
I have always said and I repeat once again: Kyrgyzstan has strictly fulfilled and will fulfill its international obligations.
However, we cannot sacrifice the interests of our citizens and the economic development of the country!
The sanctions imposed on Kyrgyzstan are based on false information spread by certain non-governmental organizations and malicious citizens.
We are ready to accept independent international audits to thoroughly check the activities of Kyrgyz banks.
In 2024, the countries of the European Union carried out trade with Russia in the amount of 141 billion dollars, of which 36 billion were imports from Russia.
And Great Britain, which imposed sanctions against two of our banks, in the same year conducted trade with Russia in the amount of 2.2 billion dollars.
Frankly speaking, someone reserves the opportunity to cooperate with Russia, defending their own interests, but forbids others to do so.
What can you call it? There is a saying: “Before you demand something from others, be an example yourself.” You ask us not to cooperate with Russia, but you yourself are actively developing trade and economic ties with it.
We have many more economic relations with Russia than you do.
Therefore, in economic terms, we cannot refuse to cooperate with Russia.
We do not seek confrontation with others. We cooperate with almost the whole world and pursue a multi-vector policy.
For example, we sell gold worth 1 billion dollars annually to England.
My primary duty as the President of the country is to ensure the security of my citizens and the country, as well as to improve their economic situation.
We are against the politicization of economic cooperation and trade.
Therefore, we demand the lifting of sanctions imposed on our two banks.
Ladies and gentlemen!
The UN Secretary General has already described the Gaza Strip as a “graveyard for thousands of children”!
What else is needed to stop the war and the horrific events in Gaza?
We must stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, who are suffering enormous losses as a result of the inhuman conflict in the Gaza Strip.
We must not remain indifferent to the unbearable tragedy happening before the eyes of the whole world.
We demand that the genocide against the Palestinians be stopped and that an international judicial investigation by the International Court of Justice be launched!
My country has always strongly condemned violence and terrorism in all its manifestations, including the terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Such terrorists must be severely punished.
However, there are methods and ways to combat terrorism and eliminate terrorists.
These methods should be used.
Millions of ordinary citizens should not die because of the actions of such terrorists.
Why are we allowing hundreds of thousands of civilians and innocent children, to be killed?
The only way to establish lasting peace is to implement the principle of “Two State solution for Two Peoples”.
Palestine must gain independence based on the 1967 borders.
We also condemn the recent missile attacks on Qatar and Iran, as these attacks are an attack on the sovereignty of an independent country, threaten regional stability and security, and violate international law.
The fight against terrorism and threats in Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, and other regions must be proportionate to their scale and nature, and innocent civilians, women, and children must not be harmed or sacrificed.
Ladies and gentlemen!
As a neighboring country, Kyrgyzstan considers it important in the current difficult conditions to provide comprehensive support to the Afghan people, and to integrate the Afghan economy into regional and global economic processes.
Isolating Afghanistan at the international level and depriving it of foreign aid is wrong. It is unfair.
We believe that the use of financial instruments for geopolitical and ideological gain to exacerbate the humanitarian crisis is an expression of injustice and inhumanity.
Therefore, we are convinced that the assets of Afghanistan frozen by Western countries in the amount of over 9 billion US dollars should be returned to the Afghan people as soon as possible.
These funds could help restore infrastructure, expand access to loans through local banks, develop agriculture and create new opportunities for millions of people living in poverty.
You are using these resources and benefiting from them.
This is a disgrace for you.
According to the United Nations, in 2025, 15 million people in Afghanistan will face hunger, and 24 million will need humanitarian assistance.
As we all know, in early September, more than 2,000 of our Afghan compatriots died as a result of an earthquake.
Unfortunately, due to a lack of financial resources and weak infrastructure, it was not possible to provide timely assistance to the victims.
We call on Western leaders to immediately return these assets for the sake of the future of the Afghan people.
If you want the Afghan people to get out of poverty and hunger as soon as possible, return their assets without delay.
Only then will your words about human rights and interstate obligations correspond to your actions!
Dear participants,
Today’s challenges in African countries – from conflicts to food insecurity – require not sympathy in words, but solidarity in actions.
Africa is 54 countries with a population of over 1.5 billion people, it is the second largest continent after Eurasia.
Africa has huge reserves of resources, and we are confident that in the near future Africa’s role in the global economy and international politics will increase several times.
Therefore, Africa’s colossal natural resources should serve the accelerated development of the continent itself and the satisfaction of its own interests.
It is necessary to strengthen the work of UN peacekeeping.
Since gaining independence in the early 1990s, my country has been sending its own peacekeepers as part of UN missions.
This once again proves that we sincerely want to contribute to strengthening peace and security in the world.
The contribution of a state should not be determined by its size, but by the depth of its commitment and sincere desire for peace and solidarity.
We support the strengthening of international treaties, including the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
We must educate the young generation to perceive a world without nuclear weapons!
It is important to raise awareness of the younger generation about the devastating consequences of the use of weapons of mass destruction.
The International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness, initiated by the Kyrgyz side and supported by UN member states, is an excellent platform for the implementation of this concept.
Kyrgyzstan is one of the initiators and depository of the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia.
We have acceded to all fundamental international documents on disarmament and non-proliferation, including the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.
In accordance with the principle of consistency, this year the Kyrgyz Republic made a political decision to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
We are firmly convinced that our planet should exist without nuclear weapons – this invention of mankind should be used exclusively for peaceful purposes!
Ladies and gentlemen,
For sustainable development and regional integration, the countries of Central Asia need equal dialogue and active interaction.
Despite the complex historical and geographical background, Kyrgyzstan has peacefully resolved its border issues with neighboring countries, in particular with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
This process was accompanied by lengthy negotiations at a high level, at the expert level, and was resolved taking into account respect for the interests of all parties.
I can confidently say that today the borders between Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are the borders of friendship, trade and cooperation.
This experience confirms: peace is possible where there is political will, respect and dialogue, which allowed us to resolve all existing contradictions and get on the path of development.
Kyrgyzstan is ready to share its experience in resolving complex issues with the world community.
Let’s use the more than 3 trillion dollars that are spent annually on weapons around the world to improve people’s lives, eliminate hunger, protect our environment and clean the air.
After all, there are no borders for breathing air.
We all breathe the same air.
Therefore, I would like to invite you to live with the competition of which country’s nature, which country’s air is clean, not with the competition of whose weapon is stronger.
Dear friends,
Climate change is a reality that we are witnessing today.
We are facing threats of drought, melting glaciers, ecosystem and biodiversity changes.
Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous country that is particularly vulnerable to these changes.
We are already experiencing a decline in water resources, threats to agriculture and biodiversity.
Although Kyrgyzstan is landlocked, it actively participates in international environmental initiatives and can play a significant role in supporting agreements aimed at protecting global ecosystems.
The Kyrgyz Republic has been advocating for the recognition of the interconnectedness of natural systems, which are two poles of one system – “from mountains to oceans”.
After all, the future of the oceans begins at the peaks.
In this context, we ratified the Agreement on Marine Biodiversity (BBNJ) and joined the group of the first 60+ countries that acceded to it.
Rivers that support marine and coastal ecosystems originate in the mountains.
Therefore, the protection of mountain ecosystems and the sustainable management of the seas are interconnected.
Now the country is preparing the Second Bishkek+25 Summit, scheduled for 2027, as a central platform for states, international organizations and experts on sustainable development of mountain areas.
We invite all of you to actively participate in this event.
Dear friends,
As UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld once said: “The UN was not created to take humanity to heaven, but rather to save humanity from hell.”
Today, these words are more relevant than ever. The organization was born from the horrors of war, but is alive thanks to the belief in cooperation, dialogue and respect.
Today, more than ever, it is important to preserve and develop the multilateral system as a shield against anarchy and unilateral decisions.
The need to create new international mechanisms adequate to contemporary challenges and threats has matured.
Our Organization needs change, and this is already a requirement of current realities.
In this context, we support the efforts of the Secretary-General to reform the UN system titled as “UN-80”.
It is also time to improve and reform the work of the UN Security Council.
Currently, 15 members of the UN Security Council actually decide the fate of all states in the world.
The issues of war and peace, security and stability depend on their achievement of a consolidated position.
Moreover, the five permanent members of the Security Council always can block any decision.
Kyrgyzstan advocates for the adoption of necessary measures to improve the UN Security Council, which will take into account the interests of the vast majority of states.
In this regard, it is very important to reach a prompt and compromise solution on all issues of reforming the UN Security Council.
This reform should be based on the principles of universality, broad geographical representation and have broad support from UN member states.
Kyrgyzstan considers it legitimate and fair to expand the right of African states to membership in the Security Council and efforts to eliminate the historical imbalance.
More than 60 member states, including Kyrgyzstan, have never been elected to the Security Council, while some countries have been elected five or six times.
Dear members of the delegation,
Kyrgyzstan strives to make its feasible contribution to ensuring peace, global security and sustainable development.
In order to draw the attention of the UN and the world to the problems of small states, Kyrgyzstan has put forward its candidacy for non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council for the period 2027-2028.
Supporting countries that have not previously been elected to the Security Council will emphasize the equality of UN Member States, enhance the organization’s prestige and contribute to strengthening trust in it.
We believe in the principle of justice, and I ask UN Member States to support us in the elections to be held in June next year.
Every state should have the opportunity to become a member of the Security Council and contribute to maintaining peace and security in the world.
I can say with confidence that Kyrgyzstan is one of the states with the experience to put forward significant issues in the Security Council.
We firmly adhere to international law, justice, the protection of human rights, and support a multilateral system based on mutual respect, balance of interests, and responsibility for future generations.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The challenges of our time concern us all, and our responses to them must be united.
Our words must match our actions.
We cannot afford inaction.
The world demands action.
The future of our planet is our shared responsibility.
Thank you for your attention!
