on behalf of the general assembly, i have the honor to welcome to the united nations his excellency joseph redskins biden jr. -- joseph redskins biden jr. president of the united states of america and to invite and to address the assembly. # president biden: mr. president, mr. secretary-general, my fellow delegates. for all those who dedicate themselves to this noble mission of this institution, it's my honor to speak to you for the first time as president of the united states. we meet this year in a moment of intermingled with great pain and extraordinary possibility. we have lost so much to this devastating pandemic that continues to claim lives around

the world and impact so much on our existence. we are mourning more than 4.5 million people. people of every nation, from every background. each death is an individual heartbreak. but our shared brief is a poignant reminder of our collective future which hinges on our ability to recognize our common humanity and act together. ladies and gentlemen, this is the clear and urgent choice that we face here at the dawning of what must be a decisive decade for our world. a decade that will quite literally determine our futures. as a global community we are challenged by urgent and looming crises wherein lie enormous opportunities if, if we can summon the will and resolve to seize these opportunities.

will we work together to save lives, defeat covid-19, everywhere and take the necessary steps to prepare ourselves for the next pandemic, for there will be another one? or will we fail to harness the tools at our disposal as the more virulent and dangerous ones take hold. will we meet the threat of challenging climate, the challenging climate we are all feeling, already ravaging every part of our world with extreme weather? or whether we suffer the merciless marks of ever worsening droughts and floods, more intense fires and hurricanes, longer heat waves, and rising seas? will we affirm and uphold the human dignity and human rights under which nations and common cause more than seven decades ago formed this institution? will we apply and strengthen the core tenants of the

international system, including the u.n. charter and the universal declaration of human rights as we speak to shape the emergence of new technologies and deter new threats? or will we allow these -- those universals principles to be trampled and twisted in the pursuit of naked political power? in my view how we answer these questions in this moment, whether we choose to fight for our shared future or not, will reverberate for generations yet to come. simply put, we stand, in my view, at an infection point in history. and i'm here today to share with you how the united states intends to work with partners and alleys to -- allies -- allies to this end. and work toward a more peaceful and prosperous future toward all

people. instead of continuing to fight the wars of the past, we are fixing our eyes on devoting our resources to the challenges that hold the keys to our collective futures. ending this pandemic, addressing the climate crisis, managing the shifts in global power dynamics, shaping the roles of the world on vital issues like trade, cyber, and emergent technologies and facing the threat of terrorism as it stands today. we have ended 20 years of conflict in afghanistan, and as we close this period of relentless war, we are opening a new era of relentless diplomacy of using the power of our development aid to invest in new ways of looking people up around the world. renewing and defending democracy, of proving that no matter how challenging or how

complex the problems are going to face, government by and for the people is still the best way to deliver for all of our people. as the united states turns our focus to the priorities and the regions of the world like the indo pacific most consequential today and tomorrow, we'll do so with our allies and partners through cooperation of multilateral institutions like the united nations to amplify our collective strength and speed, our progress toward dealing with the global challenges. it is a fundamental truth of the 21st century. within each of our countries and as a global community that our own success is bounded up in other succeeding as -- others succeeding as well. to deliver for our own people we must also engage deeply with the rest of the world to ensure our own future we must work together with other partners, our

partners towards shared future. our security, our prosperity, and our very freedoms are interconnected in my view as never before. so i believe we must work together as never before. over the last eight months i prioritized rebuilding our alliances, revitalizing our partnerships, and recognizing they are essential and central to america's enduring security and prosperity. we have reaffirmed our sacred nato alliance to article 5 commitment. we are working with our alleys toward a new strategy -- strategic concept that will help our alliance better take on evolving threats of today and tomorrow. we renewed our engagement with the european union, a fundamental partner in tackling the full range of significant issues facing our world today.

we elevated the quad partnership among australia, india, japan, and the united states to take on challenges ranging from health security, to climate, to emerging technologies. we are engaging with regional institutions to the african union, to the organization of american states to focus on people's urgent needs for better health and better economic outcomes. we are back at the table in international forums, especially the united nations, to focus attention and to spur global action on shared challenges. we are engaged at the world health organization and working in close partnership with covax to deliver lifesaving vaccines around the world. we rejoined the paris climate agreement and we are running to

retake a seat in the human rights council next year at the u.n. as the united states seeks to rally the world to action, we will lead not just with the example of our power, but god willing, with the power of our example. make no mistake, the united states will continue to defend ourselves, our alleys -- allies and interest against attack including terrorist threats as we prepare to use force, if any is necessary. but to defend our vital u.s. national interest, including against ongoing and imminent threats, but the mission must be clear and achievable. undertake and informed consent of the american people. and whenever possible, in partnership with our allies. u.s. military power must be our tool of last resort. not our first. and should not be used as an answer to every problem we see

around the world. ingeed -- indeed, today, many of our greatest concerns cannot be solved or even addressed through the force of arms. arms and bullets cannot defend against covid-19 or its future variants. to fight this pandemic we need a collective act of science and political will. we need to act now to get shots in arms as fast as possible and expand access to oxygen, test, treatments to save lives around the world. and for the future, we need to create a new mechanism to finance global health security. that builds object our existing development assistance and global health -- and a global health threat council. that is armed with the tools we need to monitor and identify emerging pandemics so that we

can take immediate action. already the united states has put more than $15 billion toward global covid response, the global covid-19 individual response. we have shipped more than 160 million doses of covid-19 vaccine to other countries. this includes 130 million doses from our own supply and the first of a half a billion doses of pfizer vaccine we purchased to donate through covax. planes carrying vaccines from the united states have already landed in 100 countries. bringing people all over the world a little dose of hope as one american nurse termed it to me. a dose of hope. direct from the american people. and importantly no strings attached. tomorrow at the u.s. hosted global covid-19 summit, i'll be announcing additional

commitments as we seek to advance the fight against covid-19 and hold ourselves accountable around specific targets on three key challenges. saving lives now. vaccinating the world. and building back better. this year's also brought widespread death and devastation from the borderless climate crisis. the extreme weather events that we have seen in every part of the world, you-all know it and feel it, represent what the stem cell research -- secretary-general has rightly called code red for humanity. the scientists and experts are telling us that we are fast approaching a point of no return in the literal sense. to keep within our reach the vital goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degree celsius, every nation needs to bring

their highest possible ambitions to the table when we meet in glasgow for that meeting. then have to keep raising our collective ambition over time. in april i announced the united states ambitious new goal under the paris agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the united states by 50% to 52% below 2005 levels by 2030. as we work toward achieving clean energy economy with net zero emissions by 2050. my administration is working closely with our congress to make critical investments in green infrastructure and electric vehicles that will help us lock in progress at home toward our climate goals. and the best part is, making these ambitious investments isn't just good climate policy, it's a chance for each of our

countries to invest in ourselves and our own future. it's an enormous opportunity to create good-paying jobs for workers in each of our countries and to spur long-term economic growth along -- that will improve the quality of life for all of our people. we also have to support the countries and people that will be hit the hardest and that have the fewest resources to help them adapt. in april i announced the united states will double our public international financing to help developing nations tackle the climate crisis. today i'm proud to announce that we'll work with the congress to double that number again, including for adaptation efforts. this will make the united states a leader in public climate finance. with our added support together with increased private capital and other -- from other donors we'll be able to meet the goal of mobilizing $100 billion to

support climate action in developing nations. as we deal with these crises, we are also encountering a new era, an era of new technologies and possibilities that have potential to release and reshape every aspect of human existence. it's up to all of us to determine whether these technologies are a force to empower people or to deepen repression. as new technologies continue to evolve, we'll work together with our democratic partners to ensure that new advances in areas like biotechnology, quantum computing, 35g artificial intelligence and more are used to lift people up, to solve problems, and advance human freedom. not to suppress the or target

minority communities. the united states intends to make a profound investment in research and innovation. working with countries at all stages of economic development to develop new tools and technologies, to help us tackle the challenges of the second quarter of the 21st century and beyond. we are hardening our critical infrastructure against cyber attacks. disrupting ransom wear networks. and working -- ransom wear networks and working clear rules of the road for all nations as relates to cyber space. we reserve the right to respond decisively to cyber attack that is threaten our people, our alleys, our interest. -- allies, our interest. we'll pursue new rules in globe trade and economic growth. and the playing field so it's not tipped in favor of any one country at the expense of others. and every nation has the right and opportunity to compete

fairly. we'll strive to ensure basic labor rights, environmental safeguards, and is intellectual property are protected. and that the benefits of globalization are shared broadly throughout all our societies. we'll continue to uphold the long-standing rules and norms and inform the guardrails of international engagement for decades. that have been essential to the development of nations around the world. bedrock commitments like freedom of 1/2 navigation, international laws and treaties, support for arms control measures to reduce the risk and enhance transparency. our approach is firmly grounded and fully consistent with the united nations' mission and the values we have agreed to when we drafted this charter. these are commitments we all

made and that we are all bound to uphold. as we strive to deal with these urgent challenges, whether they are long-standing or newly emerging, we must also deal with one another. all the major powers of the world have a duty to carefully manage their relationships. so we do not tip from responsible competition to conflict. the united states will compete and will compete vigorously. and lead with our values and our strength. we'll stand up for our alleys and -- allies and our friends and oppose attempts by stronger countries that dominate weaker ones whether through changes to territory by force, economic coercion, technical exploitation, or disinformation. but we are not seeking, say it again, we are not seeking a new cold war or a world divided in the ridged blocks.

the united states is ready to work with any nation that steps up and pursues peaceful resolution to shared challenges. even if we have intense disagreements in other areas. because we'll all suffer the consequences of our failure if we do not come together to address the urgent threats like covid-19 and climate change or enduring threats like nuclear proliferation. the united states remains committed to preventing iran from gaining a nuclear weapon. we are working with the p-5-plus one to engage iran diplomatically and seek a return to jcpoa. we are prepared to return to full compliance if iran does the same. similarly, we seek serious sustained diplomacy to pursue the complete denuclearization of

the korean peninsula. we seek concrete progress toward an available plan with tangible commitments that would increase stability on the peninsula and in the region. as well as improve the lives of the people in the democratic people's republic of korea. we must also remain vigilant to the threat of terror and terrorism poses to all our nation, whether emanating from distant regions of the world, or in our own backyard. we know the bitter string of terrorism, the bitter sting of terrorism is real. we almost all experienced it. last month we lost 13 american heroes and almost 200 innocent afghan civilians in the heinous terrorist attack at the kabul airport. those who commit acts of terrorism against us will continue to find a determined enemy in the united states. the world today is not the world

of 2001, though. the ubs is not the same country we were when we were attacked on 9/11 20 years ago. today we are better equipped to detect and prevent terrorist threats and we are a more e-- resilient in our ability to repel them and respond. we now how to build effective partners er inships by targeting their finances and support systems. countering their prop propaganda. preventing their travel. as well as disrupting imminent attacks. we'll meet terrorist threats that arise today and in the future with a full range of tools available to us. including working in cooperation with local partners so that we need not be so reliant on large-scale military deployments. it one of the most important ways we can effectively enhance security and reduce violence is by seeking to improve the lives

of the people all over the world. who see that their governments are not serving their needs. corruption fuels inequality. siphons off a nation as resources. -- a nation's resources. spreads across borders and generates human suffering. it's nothing less than a national security threat in the 21st century. around the world we are increasingly seeing citizen demonstrate their discontent. seeing the wealthy and well connected grow rich earn richer. taking payoffs and bribes, operating above the law. while the vast majority of the people struggle to find a job. put food on the table. or to get their businesses off the ground. or simply send a children to school. people who take to the streets in every region. to demand that their governments address people's basic needs.

give everyone a fair shot to succeed and protect their god-given rights. in that chorus of voices across languages and continents, we hear a common cry, a cry for dignity, simple dignity. as leaders it is our duty to answer that call not to silence it. the united states is committing -- committed to use our resources and international platform to support these voices, listen to them, partner with them to find ways to respond and advance human dignity around the world. for example, there is an enormous need for infrastructure in developing countries. but infrastructure that is low quality, feeds corruption, or exacerbates environmental degradation, may only end up contributing to greater

challenges for countries over time. done the right way, however, with transparent, sustainable investment and projects that respond to the country's needs and engage their local workers to maintain high labor and environmental standards, infrastructure can be a strong foundation to allow societies in low and middle income countries to grow and prosper. that's the idea behind the build back better world. together with the private sector and our g-7 partners, we aim to mobilize hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure investment. we also, we'll also continue to be the world's largest contributor to humanitarian assistance bringing food, water, shelter, emergency health care, and other vital lifesaving aid to millions of people in need. when the earthquake strikes, the typhoon rages, or disaster

anywhere in the world, the united states shows up, we'll be ready to help. at a time when nearly one in three people globally do not have access to adequate food, adequate food just last year, the united states is committing to rallying our partners to address immediate malnutrition and to ensure that we can sustainably feed the world for the decades to come. to that end, the united states is making a $10 billion commitment to end hunger and invest in food systems at home and abroad. since 2000, the united states government has provided more than $140 billion to advance health and health systems, and we will continue our leadership to drive these vital investments to make people's lives better every single day. just give them a little breathing room. as we strive to make lives

better, we must work with renewed purpose, then the conflicts are driving so much pain and hurt around the world. must redouble our diplomacy and commit to political negotiations not violence as a tool of first resort. to manage tensions around the world must seek a future of greater peace and security for all people in the middle east. the commitment. united states -- of the united states security is without question, our support for an independent jewish state is unequivocal. i continue to believe that a two-state solution is the best way to ensure israel's future as a jewish democratic state, living in peace alongside of viable sovereign and democratic palestinian state. we are a long way from that goal at this moment. but we must never allow ourselves to give up on the possibility of progress. we cannot give up on solving

raging civil conflicts, including in ethiopia and yemen. we are fighting between warring parties is driving famine, horrific violence, human rights violations against civilians, including answer constant use of rape as a weapon of war. we'll continue to work with international community to press for peace and bring an end to this suffering. as we pursue diplomacy across the board, the united states will champion the democratic values that go to the very heart of who we are as a nation and people. freedom, equality, opportunity, and a belief in the universal rights of all people. it's stamped into our d.n.a. as a nation, and critically it's stamped into the d.n.a. of this institution, the united states,

we sometimes forget, i quote the opening words of the universal declaration of human rights, quote, the equal and unalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world. the founding ethos of the united nations places the rights of individuals at the center of our system. and that clarity and vision must not be ignored or misinterpreted. the united states will do our part to be more successful and more impactful if all our nations are working towards the full mission to which we are called. that's why more than 100 nations united around a shared statement the security council adopted a resolution outlining how we'll support the people of

afghanistan moving forward. laying out the expectations to which we'll hold the taliban when it comes to respecting universal human rights. we all must advocate kate for women, the rights of women and girls, to use their full talents, to contribute economically, politically, and socially and pursue their dreams free of violence and intimidation. from central america to middle east from after to afghanistan, wherever it appears in the world. we all must call on to condemn the targeting and oppression of racial, ethnic, and religious minorities. when it occurs -- whether it occurs in shinjiang or northern ethiopia or anywhere in the world we all must defend the rights of lgbtqi individuals so they can live and love openly without fear whether it's chez chez, or cameroon, or anywhere.

as we steer our nations towards this inflexion point and work to meet today's fast moving crosscutting challenges, let me be clear. i am not agnostic about the future we want for the world. a future will belong to those who embrace human dignity. not trample it. the future will belong to those who unleash the potential of the people, not those who stifle it. the future belongs to those who give their people the ability to breath free, not those who seek to sufficient gate their people with an iron hand. -- sufficient gate people with their -- suffocate people with an ironhand. the authoritarianism of the world seek to proclaim the age of the end of democratcy, but they are wrong. the truth is the democratic world is everywhere. it lives in the anti-corruption activist, human rights

defenders, journalists, the peace protestors, on the frontlines of the struggle in belarus, burma, syria, cuba, venezuela, and everywhere in between. it leaves in the brave women of sudan who width stood violence and oppression to push a genocidal dictator from power and keep working every day to defend their democratic process. it lives in mall dough vans who helped deliver a landslide victory for the forces of democracy, for the mandate to fight graft, to build a more incluesive economy. it lives in the young people of zambia to harness the power to vote for the first time turning now record numbers to denounce corruption and chart a new path for their country. while no democracy is perfect, including the united states, we'll continue to struggle to live up to the highest ideals to heal our divisions, and we face down violence and insurrection. democracy remains the best tool

we have to unleash our full human potential. my fellow leaders, this is a moment where we must prove ourselves the equals of those who come before us who envision and values and determine faith in our collective future, built our united nations. broke the cycle of war and destruction. and laid the foundations for more than seven decades of relative peace and growing global prosperity. now we must again come together to affirm the inherent humanity that unites us is much greater than any outward divisions or disagreements. we must choose to do more than we think we can do alone so that we accomplish what we must together. in this pandemic and making sure we are better prepared for the next one, staving off climactic climate change and increasing

our resilience to the impacts we already are seeing. ensuring a future where technologies are vital tool to solving human challenges and empowering human potential, not a source of greater strife and repression. these are the challenge that we'll determine what the world looks like for our children and grandchildren and what they'll inherit. we can only meet them by looking to the future. i stand here today for the first time in 20 years with the united states not at war. we have turned the page. all the unmatched strength, energy, and commitment will, and resources of our nation are now fully and squarely focused on what's ahead of us, not what was behind. i know this, as we look ahead we will lead, we will lead on all the greatest challenges of our time from covid to climate.

peace and security, human dignity and human rights. but we will not go it alone. we'll lead together with our alleys -- allies and partners and cooperation with all those who believe as we do that this is within our power to meet these challenges, to build a future, enlist all of our people, and preserves this planet. but none of this is inevitable. it's a choice. i can tell you where america stands. we will choose to build a better future. we, you and i, we have the will and capacity to make it better. ladies and gentlemen, we cannot afford to waste any more time. let's get to work. let's make our better future now. we can do this. it's within our power and capacity. thank you. god bless you-all. #.

[applause] >> on behalf of the general assembly, i wish to thank the president of the united states of america for the statement just made. and i request protocol toout an. >> general assembly is called to order. we are here on the presentation of the report on the organization on the agenda item 12.