2018 FRANCE POSITION PAPER
University of Alaska Anchorage
Kimberly J. H. Pace, kjpace@alaska.edu
The people of the French Republic extend a warm welcome to all delegates present here today. Throughout our history, the French people have prided ourselves on the preservation of our cultural principles of unwavering justice, unbreakable unity, and an unrelenting drive for the betterment of ourselves and all of mankind. And now, with new challenges as well as new opportunities arising each day, we look forward to addressing the United Nation committees this year as a powerful advocate of not only strong and meaningful decisions, but strong and meaningful actions.
Over the past year, The French Republic has experienced first hand the repercussions of extremism and its influence on the young people of the world. We recognise the detrimental nature of these violent and intolerable trends and have devoted ourselves to working towards more a peaceful planet for not only our generation and, more importantly, those to come. As conflict spreads across the Middle East, over one million people have been forced from their homelands and sought refuge on the European continent and elsewhere. The French Republic is committed in full to the restoration of stability in the unstable regions of the globe and the assistance of of those in need as, together, we rebuild those countries afflicted.
The French people, in recognition of the ever-looming threat of global climate change, are eager to continue the battle against an enemy that affects us all. There is no greater failure we can commit as a global society than to leave our world in ruins for future generations, and France is prepared to continue its position as a leader in the fight to preserve our planet. In 2015, France was the proud host of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris. In 2016, our goal is to implement the policies and decisions created during the summit onto the worldwide stage.
It is our sincere hope to find common ground with all countries present here today and find a mutual understanding for the benefit of our world.