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Hence, we commend you, Mr. President, for the timely and befitting theme of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly, namely "Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation, a United Nation That Delivers for All." Namibia's independence was born out of international solidarity and is renowned as a UN success story. This is a testimony to the effectiveness of the UN. Therefore, we shall not be passive observers to the efforts aimed at dismantling or weakening the international system that had served us over 80 years, albeit with some shortcomings. In this regard, we shall continue to call for peace over conflict, dialogue over confrontation, and peaceful coexistence over tension. In restoring trust, we need to manage transformation of the United Nations Security Council based on equitable representation in its decision-making process to reflect contemporary geopolitical realities. The common African position, as articulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, has also been reaffirmed in the Pact for the Future, which recognizes Africa as a special case. The time has come for us to recognize that we have been negotiating for too long, and that it is because of those problems that erode trust in the United Nations.
Excellencies, learning also means embracing change. The world of today is not the world of 1945. The institutions we created to respond to the challenges of that time, need to learn in the world that has changed. Cabo Verde, therefore, supports a United Nations that is more effective, more transparent, and more representative. The UN80 Initiative presents an opportunity to modernize this organization and strengthen its response capacity. In this spirit, we also support the reform of the Security Council. Africa is home to nearly one quarter of the member states of this organization and represents approximately one-fifth of the world's population, and yet it still lacks the representation it deserves on this council. Therefore, we support a more equitable African representation in accordance with the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration. A fairer international order also requires fairer and more inclusive institutions. The election of the next Secretary-General should reflect the same principles: transparency, inclusion, merit, and equal opportunities. Ladies and gentlemen, but the United Nations is not just a place where we discuss crises; it is also a space where we build common paths. The 2030 Agenda, the African Union's Agenda 2063, and the Pact for the Future point us in one clear direction: sustainable development centered on the people, capable of transforming global commitments into concrete changes in the lives of populations.
However, these reform processes must not dilute agreed UN mandates, commitments, and programs, nor should they impede the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Mr. President, when we adopted the 2030 Agenda for SDGs, the 17 SDGs, in 2015, we committed to leaving no one behind. Yet progress remains elusive, with only 36 percent of the 139 targets currently on track. Numerous obstacles hinder our efforts to accelerate progress, key among being limited fiscal space. Many developing countries lack sufficient financial resources to fund their development needs, with a disproportionate share of revenues directed toward debt servicing rather than critical public infrastructure and social services. This challenge requires urgent reform of international financial architecture to afford developing nations a stronger voice in decision-making, alongside the full implementation of the Sevilla Commitment of the Pact for the Future. Furthermore, equitable taxation is essential for mobilizing domestic resources. An inclusive international tax system is critical for strengthening global cooperation, curbing illicit financial flows, and addressing profit shifting by multinational corporations.
It reinforces it. ASEAN's experience shows that institutions remain relevant when rules are respected, dialogue stays open and differences are managed peacefully. The same must be true for the United Nations. Reform must not become an exercise in rearranging structures while confidence outside this hall continues to erode. Transformation must strengthen the United Nations ability to prevent crises, respond effectively to member states, and deliver outcomes that make a meaningful difference to people's lives. Brunei Darussalam, therefore, supports initiatives such as the Pact for the Future and the UN80 Initiative. Ultimately, reform must achieve more than efficiency. It must strengthen this organization's credibility and its capacity to deliver.
And no sphere is more urgent than that of sustainable development. The 2030 agenda is at risk. The financing gap is growing. The climate crisis is worsening. Geopolitical divisions are curbing progress. We need to continue to work to reform the global financial architecture. The European Union stands steadfastly committed to the Paris Agreement, the pact for the future and the Sustainable Development Goals, funded in line with the Sevilla Commitment. The EU and its member states together represent more than 40% of official development assistance at the global level and through our Global Gateway Initiative, we are investing in all fields in connectivity, health, education and eradication of poverty. But we mustn't lose any more time. For this reason, the Sustainable Development Goals by 2027 should be a turning point to pick up the pace, to correct the mistakes and to commit to 2030 and beyond that. The European Union is clear about its choice cooperation over confrontation over power, partnership over isolation, action over paralysis. We are ready to work together with all those who share this conviction.
These initiatives also show that strong, genuine partnerships can sustain locally led development. Mr. President, partnership continues to shape international cooperation as we believe that we are stronger when we work together. At a time when multilateralism faces growing challenges, partnership remains one of our most powerful affirmations of what we can achieve, collectively. Kiribati reaffirms its support for frameworks that embody this spirit of partnership, including the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) and the Pact for the Future, which provide important foundations for strengthened international cooperation, solidarity and collective action.
Mr. president, the Lao PDR welcomes the UN80 Initiative to enhance the coherence, transparency and effectiveness of the UN system. Systemic reform must ensure a balanced approach across the three pillars of the Organisation: peace and security, sustainable development and human rights. The implementation of the Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact must focus on narrowing the digital divide.
For some, security means protecting borders; for others, it means food, water, energy, or the future of their children. And many countries face all of these challenges at once. That is why a world ruled mainly by power rather than by rules would be dangerous for everyone. For small countries such as Slovakia, this is especially clear. But no country, large or small, is truly safe in a world where international law is ignored and institutions are weakened. Sadly, we no longer need to imagine such a world. We can already see parts of it around us: trade is becoming less predictable, security cooperation is more fragmented, the idea that every country should have a voice is under pressure. And when rules are weakened, when cooperation is replaced by confrontation, all of us become more vulnerable. But we still have a choice. The international system we have built is not perfect. It can be slow. It can be frustrating. At times, it does not deliver as quickly as people need. But the solution is not to destroy it. The solution is to make it work better. Slovakia is firmly anchored in the United Nations, NATO, and the European Union. We believe in cooperation. But we also believe that institutions must produce real results. Over the past year, Slovakia has hosted several international meetings and offered space for dialogue. Where we can be useful, we are ready to help bring parties together and to support diplomacy within the UN framework. Because when diplomacy stops, confrontation fills the space. That is why, when we speak about the United Nations, I believe in evolution rather than revolution. The world has changed, and the United Nations must change with it. The Security Council should better reflect today's realities and give a stronger voice to countries and regions that are still underrepresented. Countries from the region often understand a crisis best. Giving them a stronger voice can help us act earlier and prevent escalation. Slovakia sees its engagement in UN reform as a part of its responsibility to this Organization, including through UN80 and the implementation of the Pact for the Future. Our responsibility to the wider international order is also reflected in our candidacy for the Security Council for 2028 and 2029. We would be, of course, grateful for your trust and support. If elected, Slovakia will focus on four priorities: international law and the UN Charter, accountable security institutions, the protection of strategic resources and critical infrastructure, and the security challenges linked to digitalization and artificial intelligence. I fully share the concern of the United Nations about the inequalities that can be created by unequal access to artificial intelligence. It is in our common interest that innovation benefits all of humanity, not only the strongest economies or the biggest companies.
Mr. President, Botswana supports reforms that strengthen the effectiveness, coherence, and responsiveness of the United Nations system. We also believe that efficiency gains should be redeployed to strengthen the capacity of the organization to prevent conflict, address emerging security threats, and deliver meaningful results in program countries in line with the UN80 vision. It is in this spirit that Botswana accords the highest priority to its partnerships with the United Nations Office of Counterterrorism, UN-Habitat, the International Trade Center, the International Organization for Migration, among others. We particularly recognize UNOCT's leadership role in strengthening the United Nations' collective efforts to prevent and counter terrorism and violent extremism, and in translating international commitments into practical support for member states. Botswana remains committed to further deepening its cooperation with UNOCT and the wider United Nations system through capacity building, technical assistance, knowledge sharing, and the exchange of good practices. Such partnerships demonstrate that a responsive United Nations can build trust, strengthen national capacity, and foster peace and security. Mr. President, no reform agenda, including UN80, is complete without addressing the long-standing inequities within the Security Council. In this regard, Botswana reaffirms its support for comprehensive Security Council reform and aligns itself with the common African position as articulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration. We believe that a Security Council that continues to exclude Africa and Latin America from permanent membership cannot credibly claim to reflect contemporary geopolitical realities. We also call on the United Nations to continue to explore the creation of an inclusive international framework on emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. We recognize technology as a bridge that narrows global inequality. This extends to critical minerals, rare earths, and energy resources that power the technological revolution, many of which come from developing countries. Therefore, developing countries must have a meaningful voice in setting the standards and safeguards that will govern these technologies, ensuring that they expand opportunities, support decent work, and strengthen public services while protecting human dignity, rights, and security. Mr. President, I wish to reaffirm Botswana's commitment to multilateralism. We believe that shared challenges require shared solutions. We also believe that implementing the Pact for the Future, together with the UN80 initiative, offers an opportunity to translate our shared commitments into practical improvements in the functioning of the United Nations. In conclusion, Mr. President, I reemphasize that restoring trust, managing transformation, and delivering for all are interconnected. We restore trust when we uphold our commitments, respect the UN Charter, and apply international law consistently. We manage transformation when change creates opportunity rather than deepens inequality, when developing countries have a meaningful voice in shaping the systems that affect their future, and when technological and economic progress serve humanity as a whole. And we deliver for all when our decisions translate into tangible improvements in peace, security, development, health, and human dignity.
This transformation first requires a bold Security Council reform. We cannot claim to represent the world of 2026 with the proportions of 1945. A continent of more than 1.3 billion inhabitants, whose crises make up a large portion of the Council's work, ought to have at least one permanent seat in it. The Pact for the Future has opened a window, but two years after its adoption, negotiations on Security Council reform are still ongoing. The decision that is urgently needed has yet to be made. The African position, represented for years now by the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, is not a favor we are asking. It is a demand for justice and effectiveness. Transformation, next, requires peacekeeping operations with realistic mandates and predictable financing. We support strengthening the UN-African Union partnership, including through predictable financing for African-led operations. Lastly, the transformation requires an international financial architecture that stops penalizing fragile countries. These reforms are not favors; they are investments in the world's stability. The UN must benefit all of its members.
If these institutions are to be as effective as expected, they must therefore become more representative, more inclusive and better attuned to the demands of our time. Indeed, it is becoming increasingly difficult to explain to younger generations that organizations created in the aftermath of the Second World War can no longer faithfully reflect the political, demographic and economic realities of the 21st century. My country once again reaffirms its support for an ambitious reform of the Security Council so as to ensure permanent representation for Africa in this important body, whose decisions directly affect our peace and security. That is why Cote d'Ivoire welcomes the progress achieved through the Pact for the Future and calls for its swift implementation.
However, a country's progress shouldn't— progress in a country should not mean that a country is penalized. Middle-income countries host 3 in every 4 people on the planet and 2 in every 3 people in extreme poverty, and nevertheless, GDP continues to be used exclusively for concessional financing. So we're calling for a process like the one that was initiated in the Pact for the Future, to achieve a common framework to measure progress beyond GDP, and for international financial institutions to incorporate these criteria in the multidimensional vulnerability index. Because what can't be measured and what isn't measured doesn't influence decisions, and what doesn't influence decisions does not receive attention. For a small island country, climate change is not an abstract matter, ladies and gentlemen.
Yet challenges persist. Economic diversification remains limited, youth unemployment stands at 38%, and climate related shocks and inequality continue to constrain inclusive transformation. With only three years remaining until 2030, we appeal to the international community to honour their official Development assistance commitments, which is an essential step in restoring trust. We further call for reform of the international financial architecture to make it more equitable, fit for purpose and responsive to the needs of developing countries, as agreed at the Fourth Summit for Financing for Development, FfD4, held in Seville, Spain last year. We also urge full implementation of the outcomes of the Third Summit of Landlocked Developing Countries held in Awasa, Turkmenistan, in August 2025. The implementation of these outcomes without further delay, together with the Pact for the Future, will undoubtedly help restore eroded trust.
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SA
No. 14
Saudi Arabia09/26 · first at about 12 min1 mention
This reflects our responsibility towards the region and the world. In light of the rapid developments the world is witnessing in the field of artificial intelligence, the Kingdom stresses the importance of harnessing these technologies in the service of humanity and development, and enhancing international cooperation to ensure the responsible use. The Kingdom has taken a leading role in establishing the international network of artificial intelligence capacity building centres, one of the recommendations emanating from the Pact for the Future. The Kingdom also hosts the International Centre for Research and Ethics in AI in Riyadh under the auspices of Unesco, thereby strengthening international cooperation in this field and contributing to the consolidation of ethical principles governing the development and use of AI applications. In conclusion, our world today is in need of the greatest possible measure of wisdom, responsibility and cooperation. The challenges confronting us cannot be addressed by any state on its own. Security can only be consolidated and sustained through adherence to the principles upon which the UN Charter is founded, as well as through a respect for international law.
It will be held this year. Ladies and gentlemen. A lasting peace cannot be decoupled from development. 40 years after the adoption of the declaration on the Right to Development, we know what we need to do to achieve that goal. There needs to be a wholesale reform of international financial architecture. There needs to be sustainable debt. There needs to be equitable taxation and better access to concessional financing. There also needs to be the implementation of the Seville Commitment as well as of the pact for the future.
International commitments must be translated into action and bring people lives of peace, security, dignity and happiness. It is for this reason that the Pact for the Future and the 2030 agenda, our promises to present and future generations must be implemented earnestly and in full. Commitments on financing for development, including. The severe commitment must be translated into concrete measures, expanding access to long term financing at affordable cost, supporting countries burdened by debt, and amplifying the voice of developing countries in international financial and monetary institutions. The multilateral trading system must be strengthened in an open equitable and transparent manner, ensuring development opportunities for all countries. Climate action must be accorded its rightful place in development cooperation, particularly via the adaptation finance, technology transfer and a just energy transition. Development must be people centred and leave no one behind. Growth must go hand in hand with social progress and equity environmental protection and the safeguarding of people's livelihoods, especially for vulnerable countries and communities.
Your Excellency, Doctor Rahman, president of the eighty-first session of the United Nations General Assembly Your Majesties Excellencies, heads of State and Government, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. António Guterres, distinguished delegates. Ladies and gentlemen I congratulate you, Doctor Rahman, on your election as president of the eighty-first session of the General Assembly. Zimbabwe's confident that under your able leadership, the Assembly will advance meaningful transformation under the theme Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation a United Nations that delivers for all. You may count on Zimbabwe's full support. I wish to thank Miss Annalena Baerbock for her effective leadership of the 80th session and their contribution to the UN80 reform process. Zimbabwe also pays tribute to Mr. António Guterres in his final general debate as Secretary-General. We commend his defense of multilateralism as well as efforts to advance dialogue for conflict prevention and resolution, sustainable development and the Pact for the Future.
Today the world needs not only more dialogue, but also more trust, more accountability, and greater capacity to act together. Humans must be at the heart of this collective response: human life, dignity, rights, and opportunities. This requires an international order based upon the UN Charter and international law, as well as the United Nations that not only formulates principles but also has the power and capacity to uphold them. This means a global order of rules by and for all, for countries small and large, without double standards. Bulgaria will continue to be a staunch defender of this order and of a strong, effective, and active UN. Ladies and gentlemen, today the UN must prove not only its capacity to bring states together but also its capacity to act. Thanks to collective efforts, it is our duty to transform a world in disorder into a world of international law and lasting peace. The Pact for the Future provides an important guideline, but it must be supported by real reform. The Security Council ought to reflect the world of today, with more equitable regional representation and greater legitimacy and effectiveness. Bulgaria is in favor of an enlargement of the Council's two membership categories, including with at least one additional non-permanent seat for the group of Eastern European states. The upcoming election of a new Secretary-General will also be a choice for the UN's leadership. We thank Mr. António Guterres for his dedication to serving the UN.
Mr. President, Excellencies, as the UN Secretary-General reminded us a few years ago, the United Nations is a product of hope. Eighty-one years after its birth, that hope is being tested. Technology, including artificial intelligence, is advancing at rapid speed; climate change is reshaping our societies; the international landscape is becoming more complex, more contested, and more unpredictable. The international order is not simply changing; it is being tested in an unprecedented manner. But it is in such times of uncertainty that the foundational values of multilateralism must be protected: international law, the UN Charter, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, the peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for human rights, the equality of states. All these are not principles of the past; they are principles that transcend time, the essential ingredient for the present and for the future. The challenge before us is therefore clear: as the world changes, our institutions must be able to respond to new realities and threats while guided by the painful lessons of history and the vision of the founding fathers of this organization. And this is the essence of the theme of the 81st General Assembly: restoring trust, managing transformation, a United Nations that delivers for all. Ladies and gentlemen, transformation is inevitable. What must remain constant is the UN Charter as our compass. It directs all of us, irrespective of power, size, and leverage. For small-sized countries, the principle of equality of states is fundamental, and it has formed the binding trust between us. We rely on an international system in which sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected. We expect international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, to be applied consistently. We believe in the peaceful resolution of disputes, and we demand that the rights of every state be protected. These are the integral elements of our collective trust, and this is the code of conduct of Cyprus's diplomatic engagement. And in a rapidly changing world, small-sized states must seek synergies while continuing to pursue strategic autonomy. Preserving trust also requires institutions capable of responding to the world as it is today. The United Nations must therefore continue to evolve. The UN80 initiative is an important part of this effort. The Pact for the Future and the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals are also part of the effort to ensure that multilateral cooperation can respond to the needs of our time. This moment of reform also comes as the UN Secretary-General approaches the completion of a decade leading this organization. Cyprus wishes to acknowledge his leadership during a period of extraordinary global developments, his steadfast commitment to multilateralism, and his effort to strengthen and reform the UN. But reforming our structural setup is only part of the answer. What is also needed is a genuine willingness of member states to contribute and protect the multilateral system. After all, states bring different capabilities, experiences, and perspectives. Great powers have scale; smaller states must have persuasion. We cannot compel, but we can coalesce. We cannot dictate outcomes, but together we can help shape them. There is no doubt that the challenges of today require cooperation and partnerships based on the knowledge of regions and of the realities.
Mr. president, that opportunity increasingly depends on technology. Jamaica sees digital transformation and responsible artificial intelligence as powerful tools. They can enhance productivity, innovation and sustainable development for our people. Indeed, they can be an equalizing force for the world. We must therefore not allow AI to deepen old inequalities and create an entirely new global divide. Developing countries require investment in infrastructure, skills and capacity, and all countries require governance frameworks that safeguard privacy and intellectual property, ensure data integrity, and promote the ethical and responsible use of emerging technologies without stifling innovation. The pact for the future, the Global Digital Compact and the ABAS provide important foundations. Our task now as a global community is to translate commitments into action.
While reviewing the financial architecture, this will ensure a participant cooperation on equal footing and open greater opportunities for development. The reform of this organization cannot be complete without promoting its ability to meet the promises of development. As 2030 approaches, we call for accelerating the implementation of the SDGs, and we support the UN 80 initiative as well as the Pact for the Future.
Of course, nations have legitimate security needs, but the speed with which the world finds resources for war compared to prevention and development, reveals a grave disorder in our priorities. The credibility of international law also depends on who has the voice in applying it. The credibility weakens when institutions entrusted with the law preserve an unequal distribution of power. The Security Council still reflects the world of 1945. Africa, home to more than 1.6 billion people and the subject of most of the council's work still has no permanent seat. That's not fair. Africa seeks its rightful place because the council cannot be fully legitimate or effective while an entire continent remains permanently absent from its highest level of decision making. No durable global solution on peace, climate, food, energy or technology can be built without African leadership. The common African position espoused in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration calls for no fewer than two permanent seats, with all the rights and privileges of permanent membership, including the veto if it is retained, and five non-permanent seats. As coordinator of the African Union Committee of ten, Sierra Leone will continue to advance that position. Years of intergovernmental negotiations without realizing the reform has tested the credibility of the process. Before this session concludes, member states should have a consolidated model, which we committed to in the pact for the future. Sierra Leone speaks with the authority of service. During our time on the Security Council in 2024 2025, we worked as a voice of reason and a bridge across Division. We convened the Security Council's first high level debate on redressing historical injustice against Africa, placed conflict related food insecurity at the centre of its agenda and with Guyana, Co-drafted unanimously adopted resolution 2807 on youth, peace and security, strengthening young people's role in conflict prevention and peace building. Mr. president. Representation becomes meaningful when it changes decisions and improves lives.
Mr. president, Your Excellencies, peace and development are inseparable, which compels us to consider strategies that can help accelerate the implementation of the 2030 agenda. The important decisions adopted under the Pact for the Future and the Seville Commitment can help advance development programmes in Africa. However, in order to achieve concrete results in these areas, it is essential to ensure affordable financing, debt relief, technology transfer, capacity building and a greater participation of international financial institutions. African countries spend far more resources on the exorbitant cost of debt servicing than they are able to invest in health, education, infrastructure development programmes. This situation obviously limits productive investment, deepens inequalities and economic disparities, and threatens economic and social stability. In view of this, it is imperative to correct these distortions and I therefore reiterate the call for the immediate reform of the international financial architecture in order to make it fairer, more equitable, democratic and geared towards the progress and wellbeing of humankind.
We would be remiss not to applaud the efforts, good offices and initiatives of the Secretary General aimed at strengthening multilateralism and that include initiatives such as UN 80 and the pact for the future, as well as the ongoing efforts to address global challenges, crises, conflicts, wars, climate change and terrorism, as well as the efforts to assist member states in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and to strengthen international cooperation on artificial intelligence. We hope that these efforts will continue beyond the conclusion of the Secretary General's term in a manner to guarantee the continuity of work to reform and develop the organizations bodies to enhance its effectiveness and performance in discharging its responsibilities. In this context, we emphasize that Security Council reform and the Security Council is the body charged with maintaining international peace and security has become essential to keep pace with the significant increase in the number of member states and the changes in international relations since the establishment of the organization. There is an urgent need for the Council to become more representative, effective and transparent in carrying out its responsibilities.
Created in the aftermath of the Second World War, the immediate focus was obviously on peace and security but the UN system has evolved significantly over the decades to expand its scope and sphere of influence within the confines of its charter. However, the UN must now look to the future, building on its record of achievements as well as from lessons learned from what it could not achieve. As we look to the next 80 years, we must ask ourselves a searching question is the UN fit for the purpose for the 21st century, not the world of 1945, but the world of today and beyond? We are entering a new era of international relations defined by unprecedented technological developments, often absent from the table where the rules of tomorrow are being adopted, developing countries risk being left further behind. The same exclusion afflicts the international financial architecture, which remains skewed against the Global South. Developing nations must have a seat at the table as equal stakeholders. We all acknowledge that the three pillars of the UN charter are peace and security, development and human rights. The twin institutional pillars provided in the charter were and still are, the Security Council and ECOSOC as the apex bodies for achieving these purposes. However, over the years, optimal use has been made primarily of only one of these organs. We need to enhance and accelerate the revitalization of the General Assembly and that of ECOSOC so that they are not merely forums for debate, but engines of action. This must be done as we bring about the reform of the Security Council, the historical injustice regarding the composition of the Council was acknowledged in action 39 of the pact for the future, but the process for reform is still stalled. Mauritius fully supports the Common African Position, the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration calling for no fewer than two permanent and five non-permanent African seats on the council. Mauritius also supports the call for SIDS to have a seat on a reformed council. On the question of the veto, Mauritius aligns itself with the position of a growing number of states that, in the event the veto is retained, any new permanent member must have the same rights as the original permanent members. Mauritius also supports the Franco-Mexican initiative on the suspension of the veto in cases of mass atrocities. We support the positions of the G4 and the L69 on council reform, and we reiterate our support for India's candidature for a permanent seat commensurate with its constructive role in global affairs. Mr. president, Mauritius welcomes the increasing recourse to the International Court of Justice as a mechanism for the peaceful settlement of disputes and determination of issues of international law. We call upon Member States which have not yet done so, to accept the compulsory jurisdiction of the ICJ. We welcome the landmark unanimous advisory opinion of the ICJ on the obligations of states in respect of climate change. This was a vindication of the tireless advocacy of Vanuatu and the core group of states. Mauritius was proud to stand among them.
The Pact for the Future reminds us of precisely this responsibility: that the decisions we make today must not undermine the possibilities of those who will live with their consequences tomorrow. But future generations should not only be the subject of our decisions. They should have a voice in making them. And Montenegro has heard the call from the young people to move from participation to real influence in decision-making. Young people are not simply beneficiaries of public policy. They are partners in shaping it. And education— education is our most powerful investment in young people— equipping them with knowledge, with critical thinking, with values they need to shape a better world. And this is very personal to me as well. I know what education can make possible. I was born and educated in Montenegro, and it was education, education, which gave me the opportunity to study and work abroad, to learn from other countries, from other institutions, and to ultimately return home to serve my own country. It shaped my belief that the place where a child is born should never define the limits of what that child can become. Coming from a small country, one can sometimes assume that greater size brings greater vision and greater wisdom. But the United Nations reminds us of a simple truth: vision and wisdom are not measured by the size of a country, but by the ideas we bring and the responsibility with which we act upon.
Peace and security cannot be separated from development, nor can development be separated from human rights. Conflict destroyed development gain. Poverty fuels instability. Climate change increased pressure on food, water and community. We must also not overlook the devastating humanitarian and socio economic situation in Cuba, where prolonged hardship is placing an immense burden on the daily life of the Cuban people. We must therefore treat peace, security, human rights and sustainable development as part of the same agenda. The SDG remains our common commitment. The Pact for the Future provides an opportunity to strengthen multilateralism and accelerate implementation of the 2030 agenda. But commitments are not enough. We need implementation, financing and accountability. We also need a fairer and more inclusive international financial architecture, supported by adequate resources and greater financial stability for the UN itself. The triple planetary crisis, climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution is already affecting peace and security. Environmental degradation fuel food insecurity, water scarcity and displacement. The Paris Agreement must be fully implemented. The 1.5 degree goal must remain within reach. The transition must be just and no country should be left behind. Food security must also remain at the heart of our collective effort.
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BF
No. 28
Burkina Faso09/28 · first at about 17 min1 mention
The conclusions of the High Level Political Forum of July 2026 confirmed that the international community remains far away from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Four years before the 2030 deadline, we no longer have any time left to make nice statements. It's now time to act, to provide equitable financing and achieve economic justice. In light of these challenges, collective, ambitious responses with solidarity are necessary. The Pact for the Future, the Compromiso de Sevilla, the Doha Programme of Action, the UN80 Initiative and the Awaza programme of action for landlocked developing countries can contribute to making the multilateral system more effective, more inclusive and more focused on results as long as they do not just remain promises. Our priorities must be clearly defined reducing the digital gap, strengthening climate resilience, investing in human capital, consolidating and strengthening education and health systems, supporting industrialisation, ensuring the effective participation of youth and women in decision making. International solidarity is necessary. However, the experience of the AES also shows that the mobilisation of domestic resources as supporting trust, national solidarity and the participation of citizens is the best tool available for freeing up our economic potential.
Whether in the Security Council or in the international financial system, institutions built for another age are being asked to govern a completely different world that we live in today. Restoring trust requires more than defending those institutions. It requires having the courage to reform them. This is not a conversation we are beginning today. For decades, member states have debated how to make the Security Council more representative, legitimate, and effective. In 2008, after years of discussion, this General Assembly moved Security Council reform into intergovernmental negotiations. Those negotiations began the following year. Seventeen years later, we are still negotiating. The central question remains before us: membership, the veto, regional representation, the size and working methods of the Security Council, and its relationship with this General Assembly. The world has not stood still while we have been debating these issues. In the Pact for the Future, member states agreed that redressing the historical injustice against Africa must be a priority in the Security Council reform. We should not accept that reform is impossible because it is difficult. This organization has changed its architecture before. In 1963, this General Assembly adopted amendments to enlarge the Security Council. The council grew from 11 members to 15 because member states recognized that the institution had to respond to a changing membership. What was possible then, ladies and gentlemen, is possible today. Reform must deliver equitable and permanent representation with all the prerogatives and privileges of permanent membership to Africa and other deserving regions. Political reform and financial reform are not separate projects. They ask the same fundamental question: whether the institutions that govern our common future will reflect the sovereign equality they proclaim or preserve inequalities inherited from another age. More than half a century ago, this General Assembly called for a new international economic order founded on sovereign equality, interdependence, and cooperation among states. We need not recreate the debates of another era. But we must ask the question they left unfinished: what does equality among nations require in the world of today? It requires a world in which no continent is permanently excluded from the highest decisions on peace and security. A world in which international law does not change with the identity of the state to which it is applied. A world in which a nation's prospects are not determined by how expensive the world has decided its capital to be. It requires that no child lose a classroom because debt service came first; that no mother finds an empty clinic because essential investment became unaffordable; and that the resources of developing countries became foundations for their prosperity rather than pathways for extraction.
Yes, but now it must also be digital. The change must then be reflected in the way we work together to achieve our different and common goals. I know that I am preaching to true believers, Mr. President and Mr. Secretary-General, when I say that there must be no letup, no slowing down in the relentless drive for reform of how this United Nations and its agencies does its business and delivers its services, to take our foot off the gas would be to let down the millions who need this United Nations to do better, be better at tackling the problems that blight their lives. That is why the goal of this General Assembly, a United Nations that delivers for all, is so important and so urgent. If we are to have any hope of renewing the trust of the citizens we serve in global institutions and the global order. We have to show that those institutions, this institution, can indeed deliver in ways that change tangibly lives for the better. We must never lose sight and never lose faith in the values that brought us together in the first place. As nations united. Malta is and always, of course, will be a passionate advocate and promoter of and passionately committed to multilateralism. At the core of all we do must be the code and conscience of the founding charter of this United Nations. But the implementation of those values, the way we turn those fine words into fine actions, must always be a process of constant evolution. We can never stand still if we are to keep cooperation alive. So Malta remains thoroughly committed to the implementation of the Pact for the Future and all of its associated actions. Reforms must, yes, remain Member State driven and firmly anchored in the intergovernmental process, and efficiency must not come at the expense of effectiveness on the ground. Malta solidly backs a strong and effective Resident Coordinator system as the key anchor of UN action at a country level, and I can't reiterate often enough or restate strongly enough, that the only effective antidote to the cancer of cynicism and suspicion is effective and concerted action to tackle the greatest threat to our people and our planet. And alongside spreading conflict and the dangers of uncontrolled technology, the greatest threat to us all, and especially island nations like Malta, is man made climate change.
Climate. Artificial intelligence. These are the four great power tests of the future. And they are linked. War deepens inequality, destroys development and accelerates hunger. Inequality determines who has the means to face climate and other shocks and who is left exposed. The climate crisis fuels instability and displacement. Artificial Intelligence could help solve all these challenges, or make them worse. Excellencies, Across all four tests, the decisive issue is power. Power over force, money, energy, technology, rules and the future. That is why the UN Charter – and the work of the United Nations – matter more than ever. The United Nations exists because power requires rules – and humanity needs a place where power answers to principle. And the Charter leaves no room for selective reading. The Charter created an Organization rooted in three pillars. Peace. Development. And human rights. These are not competing agendas. They are one reality: There is no peace without development. No development without peace. And no peace or development without human rights. To pretend that peace can be separated from dignity, opportunity and rights is an illusion. But defending this truth does not mean defending the status quo. The Pact for the Future and the UN80 initiative are about making the UN: More responsive. More effective. More coherent. More transparent. More focused on results. More disciplined with resources. And more present where people need us. The world does not need a weaker United Nations. It needs a UN strong enough to face the world as it is – and determined enough to build the world as it should be. Excellencies, After ten years, I hold one conviction even more strongly than when I arrived: The greatest power is not the power to dominate. It is the power to build a future that works for everyone. Our shared future will be forged by whether humanity can govern power wisely. By upholding the law before impunity becomes normalized. By ending wars before they consume generations. By tackling inequality before societies fracture. By accelerating climate action before tipping points are crossed. And by governing artificial intelligence before it governs us. This is the challenge before this General Assembly, the United Nations, and humanity itself. Excellencies, In the face of global catastrophe more than 80 years ago, the United Nations was created as an act of defiance. The defiance of people who refuse to surrender the future to fear. The defiance against the self-defeating notion that might makes right. The defiance of countries that know our futures are bound together. The defiance of hope.
