RC remarks at UWC Waterford Kamhlaba MUN Conference

Principal Otula and your great team,

Esteemed students,

Distinguished teachers,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you, Principal Jackie Otula, for this invitation. It is an honour to join you all today as you launch the UWC Waterford Kamhlaba’s Model UN Conference. 

As I look around this wonderful venue filled with energy and a thirst for knowledge and change, I reflect on the significance of Kamhlaba—the name bestowed on this school, echoing the ideas of community, internationalism, global solidarity and harmony, the very values enshrined in the United Nations Charter. 

These values are timeless and have no expiry date. And if there was ever any doubt about the universal values of global solidarity, peace and security, multilateralism to confront common challenges, etc., the evidence is all around us, given the issues confronting our world the need for urgent action. 

The United Nations was created for a time such as this, and for all times.

And so, I am delighted to join you this morning at the start of your Model UN simulation which engages hundreds of thousands of students worldwide each year, helping them learn more about the principles and functions of the UN. Many of today’s leaders in law, government, business, and the arts, including at the UN itself, participated in Model UN as students.

This morning, I will do three quick things. 

1. First, I will deliver the 2024 Message of the UN Secretary-General Mr. Antonio Guterres to Model UNs around the world. 
2. Say something about my role as the UN Resident Coordinator, and

3. Leave you with some 4 key messages.

    

   The Secretary-General’s 2024 Message to Model United Nations

Thank you for taking part in this Model United Nations conference and for believing in the power of global cooperation to solve global problems.

Our world needs your engagement and ideas more than ever.

We are living through extremely difficult times.

Conflicts are raging, tensions are rising, and our planet is burning.

Humanitarian needs are at record highs and human rights are under relentless assault.

Hate speech, misinformation and disinformation spread like wildfire on social media.

More than ever, we need global solidarity.

We need the United Nations.

And the United Nations needs you – your energy, creativity, courage, and commitment.

Together, I know we have what it takes to solve our shared challenges.

To heal divisions, repair relations, and build peace.

To extend a helping hand to all those engulfed by war, climate catastrophe and hunger.

To ensure justice and equality for the world’s women and girls and all marginalized communities, particularly the world’s most vulnerable.

And to expand opportunities for all, leaving no one behind.

We at the United Nations will never give up in our quest for a more peaceful and just world.

And I know you won’t either.

That’s why I am fully committed to giving young people a much stronger voice in international affairs.

The United Nations is proud to be your ally. And we count on you to be a force for positive change, now and in the future. I wish you every success.

Thank you.

I must say that I am extremely proud of our Secretary-General who has been consistent, passionate, clear and articulate about why we need a strong United Nations to address our common challenges. Sometimes I think of the SG as our modern-day prophet.

My Role as Resident Coordinator

Perhaps the best way to understand the role of the UN Resident Coordinator is to think in ways that are familiar to you: Imagine a large orchestra where each musician plays a different instrument. Each musician is talented in their own right, but to create beautiful music together, they need someone to lead and coordinate their efforts—the conductor. In the world of international relations and development, the United Nations Resident Coordinator plays a similar role.

Instead of musicians, I work with different UN agencies, funds, and programs that operate in Eswatini, in this case 17 of them, some based in the country, others working remotely from Pretoria, Harare, Nairobi, Addis Ababa and New York. These agencies are like specialized teams focusing on specific issues such as health, education, governance, human rights, the environment, etc. 

And perhaps you would know that the more talented the members of an orchestra, the harder it is to coordinate them. I work with very talented people! 

So, the work of the RC includes 

• Coordination of the UN activities in a country to ensure coherence, efficiency, maximize impacts and duplication of efforts.
• Representation: The RC represents the Secretary-General and the entire United Nations system in the country in engagements government officials, diplomats, and other stakeholders, advocating for sustainable development and UN values.  
• Strategic Planning: Working with the government and other partners to identify the country's most pressing challenges and develop plans to address them.   
• Advocacy: I champion the rights of the most vulnerable people in the country, such as refugees, children, and those living in poverty, the marginalised. I am responsible for ensuring that no one is left behind. 

In all this, what is the most interesting aspect of my work as an RC?

• The breadth of topics, issues and ideas I am expected to know something and speak eloquently about. It requires me to read a lot and talk to people as I prepare for meetings and especially speaking engagements where I have to take to the podium, speak, make sense to people, represent the UN meaningfully and, hopefully inspire action on the issue. 
• In a typical week, I may be required to have as many as 4 or 5 high-level speaking engagements or meetings on technical topics as diverse as education, energy, climate financing, labour laws and workers’ rights, gender-based violence, road safety, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement and job creation, etc.
• As an example, last week Wednesday was World Refrigeration Day, and I joined the Government including the Environment Minster who represented the Prime Minister at the commemoration. 
• After I delivered my remarks in which I quoted facts and percentages and used big worlds like Chlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons and Hydrochlorofluorocarbons, talking about the Montreal Protocol of 1987 and the Kigali Amendment of 2016, a senior official came to me, soundings surprised, and said, ‘RC, I did not know you were a scientist!” I smiled and thought to myself, if only she new that I woke up at 4 am that morning to research the topic! So, in this job you have to be an economist, a nutritionist, an educationist, an environmentalist, a statistician, an engineer, etc, all wrapped in development diplomacy.

What is the message here to you as students? You can be good at anything you put your mind to. You do not need to be specially gifted in anything. You can excel at anything that you work hard at! 

If you find yourself saying: I am not good at math, or French or volleyball, especially at your age, stop and think again!

Some key messages

As I conclude, I leave you with four key messages:

1. Keep educating yourself on the issues confronting our world and the proposed solutions: The issues of the day include the climate crisis; financing sustainable development to meet the needs of the people while saving the planet, climate justice, education for the 21st century and creating opportunity for everyone, etc. Educating ourselves us the first step towards meaningful action.

Let me to draw your attention to the Summit of the Future in September in which Member States will debate and adopt the Pact for the Future, organized around five pillars: Sustainable Development & Financing for Development, International Peace and Security, Science, Technology and Innovation, Youth and Future Generations, and Transforming Global Governance. I urge you to follow these discussions when you can, debate them, and think about them as you shape your futures!

2. Advocate for Change: Use your voices to advocate for policies that promote peace, justice, and sustainable development both locally and globally.

3. Collaborate and Build Coalitions: Recognize that solving global challenges requires collective effort. Build alliances and work across borders to effect change.

4. Lead by Example: Be proactive in your communities. Whether it is promoting sustainability, advocating for human rights, or fostering inclusivity, your actions can inspire others and ripple across the globe. Remember to be the change you want to see, both now and in the future.

I will end by quoting again the message from the Secretary-General: “The United Nations is proud to be your ally. And we count on you to be a force for positive change, now and in the future. I wish you every success.”  Thank you very much.