PM Tobgay addresses UN plenary

Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay has addressed the UNGA plenary on sustainable development on Friday afternoon in New York.

He said that in its 70 years, the United Nations had worked to maintain global peace, protect human rights and uphold international law. It had led the global fight against poverty, disease and hunger.

He added, as the international community concluded the Millennium Development Goals, the peoples of the world were healthier, lived longer, and were better educated.

“Since as early as the 1970s, Bhutan had stressed the importance of ‘gross national happiness’ over ‘gross national product’. Focusing on happiness was a holistic approach to development that improved the well-being of people by balancing material growth with social inclusiveness and environmental sustainability.”

“Bhutan was not only carbon neutral, but carbon negative, because more than half of the country was protected as national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. To transform the world, countries must transform themselves, and he hoped that in 70 years hence, future generations would meet at the United Nations to celebrate a more secure, prosperous and peaceful world.”