Barack Obama in United Nations
On Foreign Policy:
Support the new Libya who threw off a 42-year dictator
One year ago, the people of Libya were ruled by the world's longest-serving dictator. When the Libyan people were threatened by the kind of mass atrocity that often went unchallenged in the last century, the United Nations lived up to its charter.
The Security Council authorized all necessary measures to prevent a massacre.42 years of tyranny was ended in six months. From Tripoli to Benghazi--today, Libya is free. Yesterday, the leaders of a new Libya took their rightful place beside us [in the
UN General Assembly], and this week, the US is reopening our embassy in Tripoli.
This is how the international community is supposed to work--nations standing together for the sake of peace and security, and individuals claiming their rights.
Now, all of us have a responsibility to support the new Libyan government as they confront the challenge of turning this moment of promise into a just and lasting peace for all Libyans.
Source: Speech to the United Nations General Assembly
Sep 21, 2011
On Foreign Policy:
2011: tough on Bahrain oppression; 2013: sectarian tensions
In Obama's September 2011 speech to the U.N. General Assembly, the president said that the United States "will continue to call on the government and the main opposition bloc, the Wifaq, to pursue a meaningful dialogue that brings peaceful change that
is responsive to the people." He also said that reforms had been made, but that "more is required" three words that amounted to a clear message that the monarchy was falling short. The White House was not about to let the king off the hook and the
Source: ForeignPolicyJournal.com on 2011 United Nations speech
Jul 11, 2019
On Foreign Policy:
Nations must work together or suffer the consequences
I stand before you today believing in my core that we cannot return to the old ways of conflict and coercion. We live in an integrated world. No nation in this Assembly can insulate itself from the threat of terrorism, or the risk of financial
contagion; the flow of migrants, or the danger of a warming planet. The disorder we see is not driven solely by competition between nations or any single ideology. If we cannot work together more effectively, we will all suffer the consequences.
Source: Remarks by Pres.Obama to the United Nations General Assembly
Sep 28, 2015
On Foreign Policy:
Cuba policy failed; better to engage through diplomacy
We have to be strong enough to acknowledge when what you're doing is not working. For 50 years, the United States pursued a Cuba policy that failed to improve the lives of the Cuban people. We changed that. We continue to have differences with the
Cuban government. But we address these issues through diplomatic relations and increased commerce. As these contacts yield progress, I'm confident that our Congress will inevitably lift an embargo that should not be in place anymore.
Source: Remarks by Pres.Obama to the United Nations General Assembly
Sep 28, 2015
On Foreign Policy:
Nations must work together or suffer the consequences
I stand before you today believing in my core that we cannot return to the old ways of conflict and coercion. We live in an integrated world. No nation in this Assembly can insulate itself from the threat of terrorism, or the risk of financial
contagion; the flow of migrants, or the danger of a warming planet. The disorder we see is not driven solely by competition between nations or any single ideology. If we cannot work together more effectively, we will all suffer the consequences.
Source: Remarks by Pres.Obama to the United Nations General Assembly
Sep 28, 2015
On Foreign Policy:
Cuba policy failed; better to engage through diplomacy
We have to be strong enough to acknowledge when what you're doing is not working. For 50 years, the United States pursued a Cuba policy that failed to improve the lives of the Cuban people. We changed that. We continue to have differences with the
Cuban government. But we address these issues through diplomatic relations and increased commerce. As these contacts yield progress, I'm confident that our Congress will inevitably lift an embargo that should not be in place anymore.
Source: Remarks by Pres.Obama to the United Nations General Assembly
Sep 28, 2015
On Health Care:
Commit to UN WHO dealing with public health pandemics
To stop disease that spreads across borders, we must strengthen our system of public health. We will continue the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. We will focus on the health of mothers and of children. And we must come together to
prevent, and detect, and fight every kind of biological danger -- whether it's a pandemic like H1N1, or a terrorist threat, or a treatable disease.This week, America signed an agreement with the
World Health Organization to affirm our commitment to meet this challenge. And today, I urge all nations to join us in meeting the WHO's goal of making sure all nations
have core capacities to address public health emergencies in place by 2012. That is what our commitment to the health of our people demands.
Source: Speech to the United Nations General Assembly
Sep 21, 2011
On Homeland Security:
Iran sanctions not only to punish, but to get lasting deal
The goal of sanctions was not simply to punish Iran. Our objective was to test whether Iran could change course, accept constraints, and allow the world to verify that its nuclear program will be peaceful. The result is a lasting, comprehensive deal
that prevents Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, while allowing it to access peaceful energy. And if this deal is fully implemented, the prohibition on nuclear weapons is strengthened, a potential war is averted, our world is safer.
Source: Remarks by Pres.Obama to the United Nations General Assembly
Sep 28, 2015
On Principles & Values:
Strength comes from people, not land and raw materials
In today's world, the measure of strength is no longer defined by the control of territory. Lasting prosperity does not come solely from the ability to access and extract raw materials. The strength of nations depends on the success of their
people -- their knowledge, their innovation, their imagination, their creativity, their drive, their opportunity -- and that, in turn, depends upon individual rights and good governance and personal security.
Source: Remarks by Pres.Obama to the United Nations General Assembly
Sep 28, 2015
On Principles & Values:
Democracy is frustrating, but it makes countries stronger
I understand democracy is frustrating. Democracy in the United States is certainly imperfect. At times, it can even be dysfunctional. But democracy -- the constant struggle to extend rights to more of our people, to give more people a voice --
is what allowed us to become the most powerful nation in the world. It's not simply a matter of principle; it's not an abstraction. Democracy -- inclusive democracy -- makes countries stronger.
Source: Remarks by Pres.Obama to the United Nations General Assembly
Sep 28, 2015
On Principles & Values:
Strength comes from people, not land and raw materials
In today's world, the measure of strength is no longer defined by the control of territory. Lasting prosperity does not come solely from the ability to access and extract raw materials. The strength of nations depends on the success of their people--
their knowledge, their innovation, their imagination, their creativity, their drive, their opportunity -- and that, in turn, depends upon individual rights and good governance and personal security.
Source: Remarks by Pres.Obama to the United Nations General Assembly
Sep 28, 2015
On Principles & Values:
Democracy is frustrating, but it makes countries stronger
I understand democracy is frustrating. Democracy in the United States is certainly imperfect. At times, it can even be dysfunctional. But democracy -- the constant struggle to extend rights to more of our people, to give more people a voice --
is what allowed us to become the most powerful nation in the world. It's not simply a matter of principle; it's not an abstraction. Democracy -- inclusive democracy -- makes countries stronger.
Source: Remarks by Pres.Obama to the United Nations General Assembly
Sep 28, 2015
On War & Peace:
Iran sanctions not only to punish, but get to lasting deal
The goal of sanctions was not simply to punish Iran. Our objective was to test whether Iran could change course, accept constraints, and allow the world to verify that its nuclear program will be peaceful. The result is a lasting, comprehensive deal
that prevents Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, while allowing it to access peaceful energy. And if this deal is fully implemented, the prohibition on nuclear weapons is strengthened, a potential war is averted, our world is safer.
When a terrorist group beheads captives, slaughters the innocent and enslaves women, that's not a single nation's national security problem -- that is an assault on all humanity. There is no room for accommodating an apocalyptic cult like
ISIL, and the United States makes no apologies for using our military, as part of a broad coalition, to go after them. We do so with a determination that there will never be a safe haven for terrorists. We will not be outlasted by extremists.
Source: Remarks by Pres.Obama to the United Nations General Assembly
Sep 28, 2015
On War & Peace:
We will not be outlasted by extremists
When a terrorist group beheads captives, slaughters the innocent and enslaves women, that's not a single nation's national security problem -- that is an assault on all humanity. There is no room for accommodating an apocalyptic cult like ISIL, and the
United States makes no apologies for using our military, as part of a broad coalition, to go after them. We do so with a determination that there will never be a safe haven for terrorists. We will not be outlasted by extremists.
Source: Remarks by Pres.Obama to the United Nations General Assembly
Sep 28, 2015
On Energy & Oil:
America will join China in Paris Climate Agreement
Action today by the world's two largest carbon-emitting countries makes a decisive advance toward bringing the Paris Agreement on climate change officially into force.U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced in Hangzhou,
China, where the two leaders have met in the context of the G-20, that their countries have officially joined the Agreement.
The Paris Agreement commits parties to take action to keep global temperature rise well below 2-degrees Celsius to stave off
the worst impacts of climate change on health, food security, and extreme weather. The agreement will enter into force 30 days after at least 55 countries have formally joined, representing at least 55 percent of the world's global greenhouse gas
emissions. China and the United States together make up 38 percent of the world's emissions, and the fact they have officially joined the agreement this early marks significant progress toward ensuring the Paris Agreement takes effect quickly.
Source: United Nations Foundation, "US & China join Paris Agreement"
Sep 3, 2016
Page last updated: Jul 16, 2024