ForMin Melescanu talks, in New York, about UN's role in fighting climate changes

Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Melescanu attended on Thursday the High-level Meeting on Climate and Sustainable Development for All, organised by President of the UN General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, a release of the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) sent to AGERPRES informs. The head of the Romanian diplomacy underscored in his speech that the United Nations Organisation plays and important role in the fight against climate changes and promotion of climate at global level for the current and future generations. "We are at a crucial moment for the health and survival of the planet," the Minister showed, bringing to mind the Special Report on global warming 1,5 Degrees Celsius of the Climate changes Panel. According to the MAE release, the achievement of the Sustainable Development Objectives, the Paris Agreement on climate change and the objectives of the multilateral environment agreement imply "a sustainable management of natural resources and the evolution to circular economy." "Climate changes are more present than ever and they became a problem of national interest and national security, whether we are talking about small or large countries, rich or poor, islands or without access to the sea. We all have to commit to this fight," the Romanian chief of diplomacy conveyed. Welcoming the 2019 UN Climate Summit to be held in New York in September, Melescanu highlighted Romania's firm commitment to the international legal framework developed by the United Nations - 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Change Climate Change (UNFCCC) - which put climate change at the top of the organization's agenda. Among Romania's efforts to endorse the fight against climate change, Teodor Melescanu also mentioned the "Building resilience to natural disasters" conference, organised by the Romanian Presidency at the EU Council in Bucharest on 12 March. The Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister also carried out a series of bilateral meeting on the sidelines of this attendance to the high-level meetings held at the UN headquarters. He met with Dominica's Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, with whom he reviewed Romania's foreign policy objectives, underscoring the importance of continuing our country's commitment in the following areas peace, justice and development, with an emphasis on the synergy between strengthening peace and climate change, as well as their impact in the context of international security. Minister Teodor Melescanu reiterated Romania's support in identifying the sustainable development projects for Dominica, including in view of the opportunities provided by Romania exercising the EU Council Presidency, in the first semester of 2019. Both sides welcomed the boost of the bilateral dialogue over the last period and expressed their will to intensify cooperation between Romania and Dominica in the culture and education areas, resilience to disasters and peace strengthening. The Minister also participated in the reception provided by Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland for the inauguration of a new headquarters of this country's Permanent Mission to the UN. Melescanu and Freeland carried out a discussion, tackling the participation in peace-keeping operations, bilateral cooperation and the EU-Canada relations in the context of Romania's Presidency at the EU Council. AGERPRES (RO - author: Oana Ghita, editor: Claudia Stanescu; EN - author: Rodica State, editor: Adina Panaitescu)