 Now I give the floor to observer of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. Thank you, Chair. Internationally I'd like to thank the UN Secretary General for putting forth this policy brief. Peace, a pillar of UN work cannot be taken for granted. Like democracy, it has to be nurtured, promoted and protected. We would like to emphasize as highlighting the policy brief the importance of addressing interlocking threats. These threats include the perils of weaponizing new and emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence. They also include the climate crisis that impacts all nations, especially the small island developing states. All these converging dangers are more compounded by threats of a more political nature that directly conspire against global peace. The erosion of democratic values, particularly the shrinking of the civic space and the clamping down on the freedom of the press, are direct threats to peaceful coexistence in the world. According to International Ideas Global State of Democracy report of 2022, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has highlighted that democracy is central to the defense of peace. Russia's illegitimate war is the direct result of political system where power is opaque, unaccountable, and utterly devoid of the self-correcting possibilities that only democracy secures. It is not random that the headwings democracy has faced globally over the past decade have coincided with the resurgence of armed conflicts as seen in Ukraine, but also in the civil wars in Syria, Ethiopia, Sudan, Myanmar, among others. Moreover, International Ideas analysis on the global performance of democracy, including through our democracy tracker, shows that particularly in transitional and post-war contexts, the emergence of a constitutional culture of genuine adherence of fundamental rights and of inclusive governance practices can help immensely to overcome challenges to peace. The pursuit of inclusive governance practices deserve particular emphasis. Youth, women, and civil society actors must have a meaningful place in the key decision-making processes in society. Without them, societies will inevitably fail as sustainable development. The global weakening of democratic values matters for peace. It is for their reason that International Idea particularly welcomes the Secretary General's recognition that the rule of law is the foundation for fair, just, and peaceful societies, as it is also recognized in the 2030 Agenda under Goal 16. Without the rule of law and without inclusive decision-making, there is no sustainable development, and without sustainable development, there is no peace. International Idea renews its commitment to working in partnership with the UN system and its member states to foster an agenda for peace in our time through the advancements of key democratic values. Democracy is still the best guarantor of peace within and between countries. But even more concretely, making sure that SDG 16 is fully achieved is one of the best contributions we can all make to sustainable development and peace. Let us keep our minds focused on this simple and powerful truth. Thank you very much. I thank the observer of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistant. She was the last speaker.