 The Assembly will now hear an address by His Excellency Philippe Joseph Pierre. Prime Minister, Honourable Philippe J. Pierre addressed the general debate of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 22. An incisive appeal for justice and due attention was hurtled toward the global leaders seated in the General Assembly Hall. Mr. President, St. Lucia has come to this same session to say there must be justice in the relations between developed and developing countries and that we are no longer willing to come to this annual parade merely to lend our voice to support of this or that global conflict or to condemn whoever from year to year is the new global enemy. No powerful nation's global agenda is more important than our own and we insist that our legitimate concerns be listened and be acted upon. The Prime Minister's address touched on numerous areas of concern for St. Lucia. Mr. President, there are many amongst us the small and marginalised islands of our globe surrounded by rising seas and scorched by rising temperatures who are beginning to question this annual parade of flowery speeches and public pretense of brotherhood otherwise known as the UN Annual General Assembly. What is the point we are beginning to ask of meeting here every year when every time the international community is called upon to take their grid collective actions on the critical issues affecting the poor and the powerless, there is always some hesitation, some delay, once we forget this historic building. The Karakoram region developed countries behave as though they are blameless and not responsible to repair and compensate for the damage they have inflicted on our planet. Have they not understood that climate change is a danger not only to the existence of small island states but to the survival of all countries today and not tomorrow. And the diplomatic frustrations endured by St. Lucia's global allies. If trust and global solidarity for sustainable development are to be rebuilt the unjust, unilateral and inhumane economic embargo against the people of Cuba must be immediately withdrawn. The unmerited and cruel sanctions against the government and people of Venezuela should cease. The Palestinian people should have their own state alongside Israel in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions. The people of the Republic of China on Taiwan should be allowed the continued enjoyment of their right to self-determination and the exercise of their democratic freedoms without threats to the autonomy and with a place in the national fora. St. Lucia and the UN are staring down the fast approaching deadline for Agenda 2030. Failure to reach the targets enveloped in Agenda 2030 compounded further by lingering global conflicts looms large over the fate of St. Lucia. Is there the political will to place these financial resources instead into the productive action of responding to the climate crisis? Is there the political will to use these trillions of dollars to end starvation on and on the development in the world and provide justice for reparations? Is there the political will to put people first and not weapons first? Is there the political will to develop trust and build a lasting peace that will rekindle our sustainable development goals and lead towards prosperity, progress, and sustainability for all? For the sake of us all and for future generations we must find it. Office of the Prime Minister