Norway and Mexico: A call for a coalition to defend multilateral cooperation

Under-Secretary Ochoa and State Secretary Kravik agreed that a well-functioning multilateral system, and a world order built on international law are vital to their respective national interests, and essential to uphold progressive norms and standards on gender and human rights, the environment, and international peace and security.

Only the UN has the mandate, legitimacy or infrastructure to play this leading role.

The UN system is challenged by both serious reductions in funding and by a changed geopolitical situation.  The UN will have to adapt to the new circumstances. 

The Secretary General has launched the UN80 initiative, which envisages a thorough reform-process to maintain the global leadership of the UN.

Mexico and Norway support the Secretary General’s efforts and expect radical and bold organizational changes and innovation that will reshape the UN to match a new funding landscape.

• Reforms that will maintain the role of the UN as our foremost meeting place for discussing, devising policies and giving legitimacy to collective decisions. Multilateral responses are indispensable to address pressing challenges faced by humanity, including conflicts, climate change and poverty eradication.
• Reforms that will make sure that the UN is in a position to efficiently support the implementation of the 2030 agenda and the Pact of the Future on the ground, as well as to maintain the global humanitarian system.

For reforms to be successful, they need support from the broad membership of the UN.

Mexico and Norway will therefore actively reach out to countries in all regions. It is essential to look beyond our regional groups to build support for the necessary reforms.

In addition, Under-Secretary Ochoa and State Secretary Kravik discussed a range of topics covering the functioning of the Security Council, defending international law, disarmament and non-proliferation, financing for development, oceans, climate change, human rights, feminist foreign policy and women, peace and security.

At the Matías Romero Diplomatic Academy, the officials also led an academic discussion under the theme “Reimagining multilateralism: An agenda for a fragmented world”.

Spanish version:

• México y Noruega promueven una coalición que defienda la cooperación multilateral (PDF)