By Lee Kap-soo

Dear readers of Diplomacy Journal,

Today the World we live in brings us new challenges to manage and difficulties to overcome. Focusing on regional conflicts, political contradictions and trade restrictions the world community began to take out of its consideration already existing issues of global threats to the human civilization. 

One of the main goals for us as human beings is to maintain mankind development considering global values as the most important area where we could and should bring our forces together. Rapid industrial and economic development, technical revolutions lead to the emergence of problems that ultimately require the attention of the whole world community. Such existential threats as global warming, mass starvation caused by climate change can only be effectively countered by joining efforts, since these threats are global in their very nature. 

I would like to draw the attention of readers to the message of the 8th UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon constantly repeated by himself: “Climate change poses the biggest existential threat to humanity”. Today we already can feel the impact of these natural processes. This is the main signal for us that it is time for action. 

In this area both our countries demonstrate a responsible approach. Belarus welcomes the efforts of the Republic of Korea to promote green agenda and giving the priority to clean energy development, forestation and oxygen production that coincides with our country’s address to global issues and meeting Sustainable Development Goals. 

Even despite different political views, interaction between states is vital to prevent negative global trends. This, in my opinion, is the main task of the world diplomacy at the present stage and the issue we should give the most momentum now. 

I wish the Year of 2024 becomes the one where all of us could prove that our combined efforts to overcome threats to human civilization would be an outstanding example of a successful cooperation for the benefit of our descendants and all the people of the World.