President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday that the UN human rights system needs to be strengthened and demonstrated that Romania has submitted its candidacy for a seat on the Human Rights Council for 2023-2025, Agerpres reports.

The head of state showed that UN peacekeeping missions have always been a primary tool for protecting peace and security.

“Romania’s significant contribution to various operations around the world is proof of our commitment. We must ensure that UN peacekeeping missions, in accordance with the peacekeeping agenda, become more effective and promote political solutions to conflicts, putting human rights at the center of action. We also need strong action by the international community to protect and promote human rights. We must strengthen the UN human rights system and ensure permanent and adequate funding for all its activities. We recognize the important role played by representatives of civil society and human rights defenders in the promotion and protection of human rights. Ensuring the proper functioning of democratic institutions, upholding the rule of law and guaranteeing fundamental rights and freedoms remain extremely important. Based on these strong convictions, Romania submitted its candidacy for a seat on the Human Rights Council for the term 2023-2025,” said President Iohannis in his national speech at the UN General Assembly.

He noted that for a long time, Romania has consistently promoted the preservation of frozen or protracted conflicts among the priorities of the agenda and the concentration of efforts to resolve them.

“The war against Ukraine showed us that in such conditions the absence of war does not mean peace. Protracted conflicts, for example, in the Black Sea region, must be settled without delay,” he told the Head of State.

Klaus Iohannis emphasized that it is necessary to restore public trust in the effectiveness of multilateralism.

“Only together can we identify and implement sustainable solutions to ensure global peace, prosperity, respect for human rights and achieve a healthy environment for future generations!”, concluded Johannis.

President Klaus Iohannis heads the Romanian delegation that is participating on Tuesday and Wednesday in New York in the high-level segment of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly. The visit of the head of state to the United States of America will also include a trip to San Francisco (California) on Thursday and Friday.