Norway Permanent Representative: Katja Zupan, 21100223

Real speech

Honourable Chairs, distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen!

It is an honour and a great pleasure to stand here in front of you. Norway believes in

cooperation and today we are facing challenges that need to be addressed.

Every country and every company wants to be recognized worldwide as a trustworthy trading

party. This is also true for Norway, where the fur industry gives jobs and personal incomes.

The ban of fur industry is not a solution. If this is the case, the percentage of unemployment

will increase, and that is not the goal we all want to follow. When we look closer into fur

industry, the truth is anything but pretty. We see the horrendous conditions in which animals

live. The side effects of not improving conditions are animals under stress which are inclined

to injure each other and to suffer. Therefore, we should take responsibility for intolerable

animal treatment. We should in any case respect animals and endeavour for their welfare. And

if we are to do so, we should set universal regulations and standards for those industries to

improve lives of animals.

Furthermore, human rights and democracy are ones of the most important values for Norway.

Norway is a country with indigenous people and many minority groups. Fundamental rights

should be recognized for all, equally. Responsibility of every state is not to forget the

minorities and indigenous peoples but to adopt measures to assure the respect of traditions,

languages, and religions of minorities. We have a major opportunity to reach an agreement

which will contain directions to improve the status of members of minorities.

Norway is concerned with climate changes worldwide and underdevelopment in least

developed countries. Every country should lean towards development, and every country

should react for the purpose of saving our planet. In the past we have shown a lot of effort

when addressing environmental and developmental issues. But our combat in addressing these

challenges is not over yet. Norway believes that a significant global mechanism that will deal

with environmental and developmental issues is needed. Under such mechanism the work for

the better future, future for us, future for our children, and future for our grandchildren can

continue.

In the following days we have to grasp this opportunity to tackle these international

challenges. And it is time that we take the responsibility and find resolutions together. The

solutions must be accurate and concrete, effective and long-term. Thank you.