Foreign Minister Hasler met the UN Secretary General in New York – Liechtenstein
VADUZ/NEW YORK – Foreign Minister Dominique Hasler has been in New York for a working visit since the beginning of this week. As the government informed on Wednesday, Hasler, together with UN Secretary General António Guterres, expanded on the situation regarding the war in Europe, Liechtenstein’s position and ongoing diplomatic efforts.
The timing of the working meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres is particularly important given the current situation. “What was discussed was the unreserved support of the UN General Assembly in condemning the aggression against the Ukraine and the issue of the criminal investigation of the Ukraine war is the focus”, according to a government statement. Since the beginning of the Ukraine-War with clear positions on aggression against the Ukraine voiced.
The role of the OSCE and the prospects for a political solution to the war were discussed with Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, Chairman of the OSCE for 2022, as well as the dramatic refugee situation in Poland and the need for humanitarian aid. And in discussions with the UN special representative on sexual violence in conflicts, Pramila Patten, the reports of sexual violence against refugees and the massive risk of human trafficking as a result of the enormous movement of refugees were discussed.
The position of women in times of the climate crisis
According to the announcement, Foreign Minister Hasler also represented Liechtenstein as head of the delegation at the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, at which 120 states were represented at the political level. The main topic was therefore climate change and its particular impact on women and girls.
“Even if climate change does not differentiate between the sexes, women and girls are still particularly affected by its effects. According to the announcement, Hasler took part in a roundtable on this topic, as well as in side events on the situation in Afghanistan and on the importance of educating women and girls in the MINT subjects (mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology).
In her speech, Hasler addressed Liechtenstein’s contributions in the area of climate protection, including the fund launched jointly with the ICRC to support the International Committee of the Red Cross in the transformation to sustainable work. The Foreign Minister also presented the progress of the “Finance Against Slavery and Trafficking” initiative, with which Liechtenstein wants to fight modern slavery and human trafficking together with its own financial center and international partners. “The important role of women in Ukraine and their resilience in the fight for peace and the sovereignty of their country was appreciated by the government councillor, like many other speakers,” writes the government.
Visit to the Liechtenstein Institute for Self-Determination
Dominique Hasler also took the opportunity to pay a short visit to the Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination at Princeton University, with which Liechtenstein diplomacy has maintained intensive relations for many years. The Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination supports research, publication and teaching on topics such as self-determination and state sovereignty.
In her lecture “Freedom and self-determination in times of aggression”, Hasler also referred to the severe effects of the Ukraine– Wars to get the international order. “The attack on the Ukraine is also an attack on the international rule of law and a direct attack on the principles of the United Nations – the guardian of state sovereignty for Liechtenstein too,” Hasler is quoted as saying in the government statement.