Baku, 12 March 2025 (MIA) - The world is in deep crisis and this is the last call for something to change, President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova said delivering a lecture to the academic community and students at ADA University in Baku on Tuesday afternoon, during her official visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan, MIA's correspondent reports.

According to the President, on the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, the world is facing the war in Ukraine, threats of instability and mass migration. She pointed out that everyone bears responsibility for such developments, both by action and by inaction.

She said the beginning of the peace process for Ukraine is expected, and it cannot be said that it will end tomorrow, but it must begin as soon as possible because, she noted, there is no such thing as a bad peace, just as there is no such thing as a good war. According to her, dialogue is needed, instead of a monologue in finding solutions.

The President pointed out that the United Nations should have a primary role in finding peaceful solutions, both in the case of the war in Ukraine, especially in a situation where different concepts are offered by both the EU and the US, but also when there is no single strategy within the European Union. However, she also pointed to the need for reforms of the world organization, noting that after 80 years since its establishment, we cannot remain at something that was constructed in 1945. According to her, it is time for a female UN Secretary-General. She pointed to the need for the voices of smaller states to be heard. According to the President, we have seen many faces of globalization, but we must be aware that the multipolar world is here and it exists. 

In her lecture, the President covered concepts of politics from Aristotle, through Hannah Arendt, to Harold Lasswell. She also presented striking indications of the importance of Eurasia and Ukraine for the great powers in the theses of Halford Mackinder, Nicholas Spykman, Zbigniew Brzeziński, and Henry Kissinger. 

If you ask me for whom the bell tolls, I will say it tolls for humanity and for the need for women to take their role in the decision-making process, the President said in her lecture. The world seen through women's eyes is different, she pointed out.

She noted that in the Macedonian Parliament, 42 percent of the MPs are women, adding that the number of women in the President's Office has increased. 

Siljanovska Davkova stressed her commitment to cultural diplomacy, recalling the words of Macedonian revolutionary Goce Delchev, who saw the world as a field for cultural competition among nations.

In the context of relations with the host country, President Siljanovska Davkova sees excellent opportunities for economic cooperation and trade.

"We are all aware of Azerbaijan's resources and their presence in the Balkans and in some of the European Union countries," said the President, expressing expectation for signing of a declaration of friendship and strategic partnership between the two countries, which will contribute to concrete cooperation in several areas of mutual interest.

President Siljanovska Davkova was presented with an honorary medal from ADA University, in memory of the lecture she delivered.

As part of her official visit to Azerbaijan, President Siljanovska-Davkova met Wednesday with the Speaker of Parliament, Sahiba Gafarova, and she will also meet with Prime Minister Ali Asadov.  

The President's official visit to Azerbaijan kicked off Tuesday with a meeting with her counterpart, President Ilhan Aliyev, whereby the two initiated signing of a declaration on strategic partnership and friendship, with a particular focus on strengthening cooperation in energy and economy, as well as scrapping visa requirements for diplomatic and official passports.  

Photo: The President's Office