On November 5, 2024, Ambassador Beresford-Hill met with H.E. Ambassador Joan Forner Rovira, the Permanent Representative of the Principality of Andorra to the United Nations.
Ambassador Forner Rovira presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres in September 2024. His extensive diplomatic career includes serving as Andorra’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe and as Ambassador and Chargé d’Affaires a.i. to the UN Office in Geneva. He previously represented Andorra as Deputy Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe and held several roles in Andorra’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Director of the Departments of Multilateral Affairs and Cooperation, and Bilateral and Consular Affairs. He also served as Legal Adviser in the International Conventions Department. Earlier in his career, he held postings as Minister Counsellor at Andorra’s Embassy in Spain and at the Permanent Mission to the UN from 1993 to 2000.
Ambassador Forner Rovira opened the meeting by expressing his familiarity with the Order of Malta’s work, mentioning a previous visit to the Grand Magistry in Rome. Ambassador Beresford-Hill welcomed this connection and provided an overview of the Order’s increasing engagement at the United Nations. He highlighted the Order’s active contributions within the Security Council, including several interventions over the past year.
During the discussion, Ambassador Forner Rovira praised the Order’s efforts but voiced concerns about the negative impact of widespread criticism of the United Nations. He lamented how such criticism undermines the organisation’s global credibility, overshadowing the significant and tangible contributions made by UN agencies worldwide. Drawing from his personal experiences, he emphasised the effectiveness and far-reaching impact of these contributions, which he regretted are often overlooked. Ambassador Beresford-Hill agreed, noting the fragmentation of hope within the UN system and expressing his shared regret over this trend.
Ambassador Forner Rovira shared that this would be his final diplomatic posting and outlined a strategic shift in Andorra’s approach at the United Nations. He explained that Andorra has chosen to focus its resources on specific issues, with children in armed conflict becoming a primary area of concentration.
As the meeting concluded, both Ambassadors reaffirmed the importance of collaboration between states and international humanitarian organisations within the UN system to achieve effective and sustainable outcomes.
