Opening Remarks by Mr. Fumito Miyake, Minister-Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna at the Panel Discussion “Applying human security approach and its contribution to priority areas of the international community and the United Nations system”
2015/5/11
Excellencies, distinguished Ambassadors, Director-General Li Yong, ladies and gentlemen,
It is an honor for me to deliver opening remarks at this important event on human security as the representative of the co-organizer of the event.
Since its appearance in UNDP’s Human Development Report in 1994, the concept of human security has been developed mainly at the UN, but also by various stakeholders including academia. The UN General Assembly resolution on human security adopted in September 2012 is a recent milestone in the development of the notion of human security. Today’s event provides an important opportunity to deepen understanding and raise awareness of human security in a key place outside of New York. I commend the initiative taken by the UN Human Security Unit to organize this event and thank UNIDO for its support.
This is also important timing because 2015 is a critical year for global challenges – we will agree on a series of new initiatives: financing for development in Addis Ababa in July, post-2015 development agenda in New York in September, and a new agreement on climate change in Paris in December. We had a good start in Sendai in March, where Japan hosted the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction. The concept of human security should be mainstreamed in the international community and duly reflected in these new frameworks of global challenges.
Japan has long promoted human security as the pillar of its foreign policy. The recent examples include the Development Cooperation Charter, a new guideline of Japan’s development cooperation decided by the cabinet in February this year. In this Charter, human security is clearly positioned as the guiding principle that lies at the foundation of Japan’s development cooperation. In providing development cooperation, Japan focuses on individuals, especially those liable to be vulnerable such as children, women, persons with disabilities, the elderly, refugees and internally displaced persons, ethnic minorities, and indigenous people, to protect and empower them to realize human security.
At the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai in March this year, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Japan’s new cooperation initiative for disaster risk reduction. This “Sendai Cooperation Initiative for Disaster Risk Reduction” reiterates the importance of taking the human security approach to disaster risk reduction, focusing on the specific situation and needs of women and those who tend to face particular vulnerabilities in the wake of disasters, such as children, the elderly and persons with disabilities. Two days later, at the symposium commemorating the 70th anniversary of the UN held in Tokyo, Prime Minister Abe urged the UN community to incorporate into the new development agenda the concept of achieving human security. These cases clearly show Japan’s political commitment to further promoting human security in the international community.
The UN Trust Fund for Human Security, which is managed by the UN Human Security Unit, has served as the key resource to promote human security on the ground. The strength of this Fund will be elaborated by today’s panelists coming from Egypt and Tajikistan. We call on the Member States gathered here today to consider making appropriate contributions to this Fund.
In this connection, let me recognize Ambassador Kovačič, who is present here today. Ambassador Kovačič is a member of the Advisory Board on Human Security, which is instrumental in raising awareness about human security, including advising the management of the UN Trust Fund for Human Security.
Let me conclude by wishing us a successful event today to extend awareness of human security and the usage of the human security approach.
Thank you very much.
It is an honor for me to deliver opening remarks at this important event on human security as the representative of the co-organizer of the event.
Since its appearance in UNDP’s Human Development Report in 1994, the concept of human security has been developed mainly at the UN, but also by various stakeholders including academia. The UN General Assembly resolution on human security adopted in September 2012 is a recent milestone in the development of the notion of human security. Today’s event provides an important opportunity to deepen understanding and raise awareness of human security in a key place outside of New York. I commend the initiative taken by the UN Human Security Unit to organize this event and thank UNIDO for its support.
This is also important timing because 2015 is a critical year for global challenges – we will agree on a series of new initiatives: financing for development in Addis Ababa in July, post-2015 development agenda in New York in September, and a new agreement on climate change in Paris in December. We had a good start in Sendai in March, where Japan hosted the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction. The concept of human security should be mainstreamed in the international community and duly reflected in these new frameworks of global challenges.
Japan has long promoted human security as the pillar of its foreign policy. The recent examples include the Development Cooperation Charter, a new guideline of Japan’s development cooperation decided by the cabinet in February this year. In this Charter, human security is clearly positioned as the guiding principle that lies at the foundation of Japan’s development cooperation. In providing development cooperation, Japan focuses on individuals, especially those liable to be vulnerable such as children, women, persons with disabilities, the elderly, refugees and internally displaced persons, ethnic minorities, and indigenous people, to protect and empower them to realize human security.
At the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai in March this year, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Japan’s new cooperation initiative for disaster risk reduction. This “Sendai Cooperation Initiative for Disaster Risk Reduction” reiterates the importance of taking the human security approach to disaster risk reduction, focusing on the specific situation and needs of women and those who tend to face particular vulnerabilities in the wake of disasters, such as children, the elderly and persons with disabilities. Two days later, at the symposium commemorating the 70th anniversary of the UN held in Tokyo, Prime Minister Abe urged the UN community to incorporate into the new development agenda the concept of achieving human security. These cases clearly show Japan’s political commitment to further promoting human security in the international community.
The UN Trust Fund for Human Security, which is managed by the UN Human Security Unit, has served as the key resource to promote human security on the ground. The strength of this Fund will be elaborated by today’s panelists coming from Egypt and Tajikistan. We call on the Member States gathered here today to consider making appropriate contributions to this Fund.
In this connection, let me recognize Ambassador Kovačič, who is present here today. Ambassador Kovačič is a member of the Advisory Board on Human Security, which is instrumental in raising awareness about human security, including advising the management of the UN Trust Fund for Human Security.
Let me conclude by wishing us a successful event today to extend awareness of human security and the usage of the human security approach.
Thank you very much.
The Practical Export Control Workshop was hosted by the Wassenaar Arrangement as part of its 20th Anniversary programs and held at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna on 27 and 28 June 2016. More than 100 government representatives from 46 countries participated in the technically focused Practical Workshop.
Workshop speakers included the 2016 WA Plenary Chair Ambassador Anu Laamanen (Finland), 2016 WA General Working Group Chair Ambassador Paul Beijer (Sweden), 2015-2016 WA Experts Group Chair Robertas Rosinas (Lithuania), 2016 WA Licensing and Enforcement Officers Meeting Chair Jon Erik Strömö (Norway), as well as the Head of the WA Secretariat, Ambassador Philip Griffiths. The WA control lists as well as export licensing and enforcement topics were covered during the two days.
The following link from WA’s webpage contains more details:
http://www.wassenaar.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/June-2016-Workshop-media-release.pdf
Workshop speakers included the 2016 WA Plenary Chair Ambassador Anu Laamanen (Finland), 2016 WA General Working Group Chair Ambassador Paul Beijer (Sweden), 2015-2016 WA Experts Group Chair Robertas Rosinas (Lithuania), 2016 WA Licensing and Enforcement Officers Meeting Chair Jon Erik Strömö (Norway), as well as the Head of the WA Secretariat, Ambassador Philip Griffiths. The WA control lists as well as export licensing and enforcement topics were covered during the two days.
The following link from WA’s webpage contains more details:
http://www.wassenaar.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/June-2016-Workshop-media-release.pdf