The transcripts are AI-generated from the UN's English audio and can contain mistakes. We are checking them against the statements the missions publish; some errors are still expected.
Mr. President of the 81st Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Mr. Secretary-General of the United Nations, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, heads of state and government, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, heads of delegation, ladies and gentlemen. Mr. President, at the outset I wish to convey to you, on behalf of the sovereign peoples of the Republic of Guinea and our delegation, our warmest congratulations upon your election to the presidency of this 81st Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. I cherish the hope that our proceedings under your skillful stewardship will allow the United Nations, our organization, to best address and meet the legitimate aspirations of the peoples of the world. I also wish to applaud the continuous and consistent efforts of the Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, at the helm of our United Nations. It is with a profound feeling of pride and of humility that I speak before this august body on behalf of the sovereign people of the Republic of Guinea. As we seek to describe to the international community the progress that my country has achieved, ladies and gentlemen, three years ago, from this rostrum, I, with the candor that my country and our continent are bound by, I spoke the truth and I stated that the model of imported governance, without being adapted, on our continent was not generating the fruits that had been expected by our peoples, and this is something which I stand by.
Ladies and gentlemen, this morning on my way to New York, somewhere in the sky over the big and beautiful Atlantic Ocean, I read President Trump's post on Truth Social. The president wrote that Russia has lost control of its diesel oil industry due to its war with Ukraine, and it is hard to imagine a more humiliating loss for a country that has a permanent seat on the UN Security Council and takes so much pride in its oil exports. I quote," A large number of their diesel refineries have been blown up and are at least temporarily out of commission." End of quote. And this is true: Russia messed up. And the conclusion of the post is also right: this ridiculous and never-ending war with Ukraine must be ended. I do not know a single world leader who would say otherwise. I do not know anyone who is openly for this war, except one man. Ladies and gentlemen, for almost 5 years now, Russian generals have been trying to carry out Putin's crazy order to seize our eastern land, the Donetsk region. And just this year, from January through August, the Russian army lost 248,964 people on the battlefield in Ukraine. In 8 months, 248,000. Killed and badly wounded. Twenty-one countries in the world have smaller population than the number of Russian troops lost in just 8 months. We have video confirmation for every one of these losses. And these are not just statistics; it's about people. We have an archive of drone videos, videos showing thousands and thousands of Russians losing their lives in kill zones. It's madness. But they still keep going there to die, because that is what Putin wants. After losing so many people, Russia managed to capture just over 1,000 square kilometers of our land this year, and we have already liberated a significant part of it. Russia is a country that already has 17 million square kilometers of its own land, without any Ukrainian territory, by the way. So to add another 1,000 square kilometers, Putin is paying with 248 people for every kilometer. Does anyone still think that he is reasonable and moderate? His comrade, the leader of North Korea, sent his troops to Russia to support the weak points of the Russian army. The North Koreans also suffered losses. Heavy losses. You probably saw the broadcast from Pyongyang when they honored those who were killed. And this is madness too. Why should Koreans give their lives in a war against Ukraine? Kim Jong-un uses them like currency, and he gets something in return. And North Korea's neighbors and countries across Asia have probably already noticed its improved ballistic missiles and Pyongyang's much greater drone capabilities. So a war that was not prevented in time, was not stopped in time, and for which Russia was not punished in time, keeps spreading and spreads evil with it. Recently, we sent two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea. These guys are not easy to capture alive. One of them, when he realized he was going to be taken prisoner, tried to kill himself, and he was shocked that fate didn't let him die. And this is how they raise people in the North. It's reality. They take away their freedom. They take away their right to choose. And they drill into them that they must die, no matter what. Do you really want to give such a force more time to learn how to wage war? This has already been going on for 5 years. And we know that Putin recently once again promised representatives from the American president that he would seize our Donetsk region, and he said he needs just a few more months. This is probably the 17th or 18th time in 5 years that he has made this promise. It's always the same:" just a few, a few more months." And then he moves the deadline, moves again. Putin will fail this time too. But after that, he will once again make it clear to the world that even our Donetsk region is not enough for him. He wants more of our cities: Odesa and Kharkiv, Dnipro and others. Someone in the Kremlin even put up a picture with the words "On to Kyiv." Russia has claims against our neighbor Moldova. It constantly threatens Poland and the Baltic States. Russia shows no respect for the statehood of the countries of the South Caucasus and Central Asia. And sadly, sadly, people in Syria and across Africa also know very well what Russian killers are. Something always seems to stop Putin from simply saying," That's it. Enough. Peace." Something always stops him from admitting that 17 million square kilometers of his own territory, internationally recognized by all of you, should be enough for this man. Putin is always looking for someone who can help him kill more people for every kilometer of land, take more territory, attack another country, instead of simply stopping and running his own country. After all of this, can you even imagine him without war? He is patient zero, the one from whom this idea of war keeps spreading further. And wherever it spreads, it brings only pain, instability, new risks, and of course new crisis. The more freedom Putin has to act, the more dangerous the world becomes for everyone else. That is why patient zero must be stopped. He must be denied the space to act and the space to spread this evil further. Ladies and gentlemen, last year, speaking here, I said that we are living in a time when weapons decide who survives. And I've said, if a nation wants peace, it must work on strong weapons. Ukraine is doing exactly that. And this is why, for the first time in Russia's history, we now hear that its pride, its oil industry, is running off fumes. But oil itself is not Ukraine's target, not our target. Not gasoline or diesel. Not factories or ports as such. Our target is Russia's ability to finance this war, to drag it out, to make it more brutal and more destructive. Russia's finances and Russia's production are what must be stopped if Putin is to be stopped. And our great soldiers and our weapons are working for this, only for this. The world's support for Ukraine helps us do it. And I am grateful to everyone, to every country that stands with us, stands with Ukraine, and helps our people.
Read around it:
BF
No. 3
Burkina Faso09/28 · first at about 1 min3 mentions
Monsieur le président Excellency. Mr. President. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. It's a real honor to bring from this rostrum the voices of Their Excellencies comrades. Captain Ibrahim Traoré, president of Faso. Head of state and president of the Confederation of Sahel States. Army General Assimi Goita, president of the transition head of state to the Republic of Mali, and Army General Abdourahamane Tiani, president of the Republic of Niger, head of state. On their behalf, the Confederation of Sahel States extends to you, Mr. President, their heartfelt congratulations upon your election to preside over the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. We also extend our wishes of success to you in your term and fully align us with the pride of the kindred people of Bangladesh. To Her Excellency, Miss Annalena Baerbock, we reiterate our positive appreciation of the way she conducted the work of the 80th Session. President.
It has once again begun to believe in its institutions. It is looking its allies straight in the face with pride and is working to build its future with a hardworking spirit. And it wants to see a future of order and hope. Honduras reaffirms its commitment to peace, international law, sovereignty, and cooperation between states.
Mr. Distinguished President of the General Assembly, distinguished Secretary-General, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. I take the floor on behalf of the Central African Republic, with the full sense of responsibility bestowed by this podium and the pride of a people that has never given up hope.
Our capacity building and experience sharing programmes have made a real difference across the Global South, especially in Africa. The same international spirit also inspires our contribution to safeguarding peace. India has always been at the forefront of UN peacekeeping operations. Right now, our contingents are present in nine out of 11 mandates. Our troops have stood their ground firmly and professionally, even under pressure. We take pride that an Indian woman combat helicopter pilot was awarded the UN 2025 Military Gender Advocate of the Year. Mr. President, new challenges in the maritime domain have added to long standing ones on land. There have been attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers in the Gulf, and from the Red Sea to the Black Sea, Indian seafarers have lost their lives, as indeed have others from other nations. This is completely unacceptable. India has joined Liberia and 23 other partners in an initiative to rally global public opinion against such unwarranted targeting. We must ensure that the safety and security of shipping and seafarers is never compromised. Scrupulously observing international law is an integral element of that endeavour.
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful. Mr. president of the United Nations General Assembly. Your Excellency, the Secretary General of the United Nations. Excellencies. Esteemed ladies and gentlemen. Peace be upon you. And God's mercy and blessings. It is with great honor and pride that I stand before this international forum representing the Republic of Iraq, the home of the first civilizations.
Mr. president. The historic ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea was held with a splendor in February this year in Pyongyang the capital city of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The Congress reviewed with pride the achievements made over the past five years and set out a new, innovative goals for overall development in the next stage. During the last five years, the existence and development of humankind was severely constrained by the global pandemic, abnormal weather conditions, geopolitical confrontation and the entailing economic crisis. They were harsh times for our state too. Yet we have thoroughly and consistently maintained the characteristic principle and approach of self-reliance. Our resilience grew stronger. We overcame all difficulties and challenges before us, and ultimately made remarkable advances by leaps and bounds. The five year plan for the development of the national economy was successfully accomplished. The economic foundation for production boost was reinforced. Numerous monumental projects were completed. Policies for the people that our government invariably pursues are implemented at higher level. We are seeing the upward trend of comprehensive development conducive to a simultaneous and balanced growth in all sectors, fields and regions of the country. As the first hand witnesses of the above realities, all our citizens have become all the more confident that the path we have trodden is the most accurate path, and the self-reliance and self-sustenance of our choice are the surest shortcut to prosperity. Under the unique leadership of Comrade Kim Jong Un, president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, our people have now confidently embarked on new, massive projects aimed at building on the successes in pioneering a era of comprehensive development and leading it to new heights. The path ahead of us is laden with numerous challenges and difficulties, presented by inhumane acts of certain forces that disfavor the DPRK's very existence, let alone her development. Yet we will surely attain all that we plan to, relying entirely on our own efforts, regardless of changes in the situation. This is the confidence that every Korean is assured of.
President, Liechtenstein joined the United Nations 36 years ago as its 160th member. We did so driven by the conviction that we, as one of the smallest members of the international community, should be part of the most important conversation on global governance, with the participation of all states, big or small, in developing international norms and standards, and also in upholding respect for them. Sovereignty was a key theme of our domestic discussions, resulting in our UN membership. We joined out of enlightened self-interest the belief that we need the UN to secure respect for our sovereignty through upholding international law as the basis for our security and prosperity. To this end, we also decided to make our own contribution to make best use of the opportunity offered to us as a small state, to be an active part of the biggest peace project in the history of humankind. President, our belief in the United Nations remains steadfast. This is the place where we can make our voice heard, where we can put ideas forward, and where we can gather to try to solve the issues that affect us all. We have greatly benefited from our membership, and the UN has consistently been a key platform for our foreign policy. Our membership has consistently enjoyed high levels of support in our population. But today we also find ourselves in a moment where instability and uncertainty dominate the conversation. Our organization no longer seems able to deliver on the key promises of the UN Charter to save future generations from the scourge of war. It can no longer count on the unconditional support of its most powerful members for the guiding rules of international law. It is increasingly ignored or sidelined in efforts to address both the traditional and new challenges, such as the regulation of artificial intelligence. It is permanently squeezed financially. Legal obligations to pay are turned into tools to exercise political leverage. As a result the United Nations has moved down the foreign policy agenda, even of states who have a strong history of supporting it. We can no longer take it for granted that our people will continue their strongly positive views of our organization. President. This is the difficult moment in which we find ourselves. But rather than engaging in doomsday scenarios, we have to find the opportunities hidden in the challenge. The overwhelming majority of the states present in this room believe in the United Nations. They want to see positive change for the UN to emerge stronger, more effective, more relevant. But we all have to be prepared to be part of the change that we want to see. Resisting the temptation of collective inertia and of waiting for positive change to happen on its own, will require our active political investment. We are grateful to Secretary-General Guterres for his service to the organization, and for his proposals to adapt the organization to the needs of today. On the basis of his ideas, our delegations here have done good work that will show positive results over time. This is important. It shows that we can come together also during times of deep political division. It is also not enough. The steps we have taken are just the beginning of what we need, a political agreement that combines significant structural change with a reliable financial commitment and firm support for the UN Charter from all. This is also the vision we are looking for in the person that will be appointed as the next Secretary-General. We hope that this decision will come very soon, in order to give the new Secretary-General the time she needs to prepare for this most unique of jobs. And we remain convinced that having a woman at the helm of the United Nations is long overdue for an organization that prides itself on its role in gender equality. President. At its core, the United Nations is a peace organization.
Because what she wrote is true. We have everything we need to change the world for the better, and we don't have to wait another minute. We aren't starting from scratch. We have already come a long way. And the journey will continue under the leadership of a new Secretary-General. Secretary-General Guterres, thank you for all your years of hard work. You are leaving the United Nations at a turbulent moment. But we can all take pride in the fact that, as we speak, more than 150 000 men and women are serving under the blue flag, giving vaccinations, providing food aid and serving in peace missions.
Madam president, since the end of the Second World War, Japan has built the peace and prosperity it has today, through the tireless efforts of our predecessors and the goodwill of a large number of countries. In the course of these efforts, Japan itself has consistently acted in the spirit of multilateralism towards addressing challenges facing the international community. However, these challenges cannot be solved by any single country acting alone. Now more than ever, the flag of the United Nations must be held high and under that banner, Member States must mobilize the collective strength of the membership to elaborate new rules and build a framework for cooperation. I am convinced that the United Nations is the only organization capable of taking the helm on a global scale. To this end, as well, reform of the United Nations is essential. The United Nations is a vessel, and the responsibility for determining its contents lies with us, namely the Member States. Rather than lamenting the institutional fatigue of the United Nations, member States should unite with one heart, vigorously advance reform of the United Nations and transform the organization into a more resilient and effective United Nations. Let us move forward, building on the achievements of the current Secretary-General António Guterres. At the same time, the charter of the United Nations, which is now 81 years old, should also be reviewed. Regarding the so-called enemy states clauses, a United Nations General Assembly resolution was adopted in 2005 to delete references to enemy states from the charter of the United Nations, expressing the resolve of the Heads of State and Government of all Member States. In accordance with this resolution, these clauses must be deleted. I would like to strongly emphasize this position, as Japan takes pride and honor in its significant contributions to the efforts of the United Nations for the last 70 years. Furthermore, as a matter of utmost importance, reform of the Security Council is urgently needed. The current structure of the Security Council, whose mandate is to maintain international peace and security, reflects the international situation as it stood in 1945. We need to transform it without delay, into a structure that truly reflects the current realities of the international community. To this end, it is essential to expand the number of both permanent and non-permanent members in order to ensure the legitimacy and representativeness of the Security Council. A majority of member states support the expansion of both categories. Japan is determined to fulfill its solemn responsibility in these UN reforms. Madam president, in the 70 years since we became a UN member state, Japan has consistently contributed to the peace and prosperity of the international community, as a peace loving nation under its exclusively defense oriented policy. Furthermore, we have worked hand in hand with the United Nations on the two indispensable tasks of establishing rules and institutions and providing support on the ground. This policy will remain unchanged in the future. In light of this history, Japan feels a sense of responsibility to safeguard the ideals of the United Nations as our beacon of hope, and to carry that light forward into the future. To that end, with its renewed commitment to the United Nations and multilateralism, Japan will continue to steadily take actions. Now, at a time when the world is in turmoil, the United Nations itself must be reborn as a more resilient and effective United Nations and regain the trust of the international community. Together with this more resilient and effective United Nations, Japan is determined to create peace and prosperity by making the Indo-Pacific and the international community more resilient and prosperous. Thank you so very much.
Mr. president, there are moments in the life of a nation when its people are called to remember who they have always been. This is such a moment for us. And so I begin with something deeply personal to my people and my country. And that is our name. For many years, the world has known our country as Nauru. Nauru is how our name sounded to those who found it hard to say and the world kept it. But it is not the name our people used among themselves. I rise on my first point not to announce a change, but to affirm a truth long before our country took its place among the family of nations, long before our name appeared on international records, our people knew our homeland by one name, Naoero. That name carries the memory of our ancestors, our language, and our identity. It has been there all along, never lost, never absent. Today we restore Naoero. We do not make this choice to erase our past. We make it because we honour it. We do so with respect for our history and with gratitude for the journey Nauru has carried us through to our independence and our place on the international stage. Mr. president, my government's priority is investing in our people and our future generations. Restoring our name gives back to them a piece of the inheritance, because the identity handed down by our own ancestors has a place in the community of nations, because their history and language matter, because they too have the right to inherit a nation that knows itself, names itself and speaks of itself. In light of this year's theme, let me say this there can be no genuine trust and no true transformation without respect for the identity, history, language and rights of every people to be treated as an equal and to speak for itself. I take the opportunity now to convey my sincerest gratitude to the Secretariat and to this Assembly and the many institutions and partners who have taken steps to recognise our restored name. It may seem a small courtesy, but it means a great deal at home. And so, Mr. President, I say this with the greatest pride. Anga dei-Naoero. That means I am from Naoero and so is every person I have the honour to speak for today. We take our seats under that name, proud of where we have come from, confident in who we are and determined to carry our name into the future. What I ask of the world costs nothing. Join us in recognising and respecting the identity that is already ours.
Our national budget last year made historic allocations to the healthcare and education sectors. We take pride in our long standing policy of free and universal healthcare and education, and remain committed to strengthening these important pillars of social justice. While actively implementing all SDGs without discrimination, we fully subscribe to and proactively engage with SDG 16, which underscores the importance of just and inclusive institutions that build and restore public trust and treat all people equally. Mr. President, Sri Lanka has long championed and contributed towards a fair and peaceful order at sea under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a legal regime which we have helped shape.
Finally, I address the sons and daughters of our Palestinian people in their homeland and in the diaspora. You have painted the greatest picture of pride and dignity by holding steadfastly onto your land, your unity, and your legitimate rights. We will not leave our homeland. We will not accept displacement, and we will not allow anyone to decide our future on our behalf. We decide for ourselves. We will extend our hands to a peace based on international legitimacy, so that our freedom and independence can be achieved, and so that everyone in the region may live in security, peace and good neighbourliness. Peace be upon you all and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
We carry inherited memories, values, rich cultures, and distinct identities of our homelands. Belonging anchors us, and it reminds us that we are part of a human story that is far larger than ourselves. It is a vital wellspring of dignity and pride. But belonging also has its dark side. When belonging is weaponized by political expediency, it transforms into nativism, chauvinism, xenophobia, and the dangerous prejudices that are extended to people who are deemed different from us. It becomes a pretext for discrimination, for displacement, for persecution and war. And yet, for this organization, the United Nations, the founding principles remain immutable. Every human being belongs to the human family. No race is superior. No nation is inferior. No child's life is worth less because of the language they speak or the faith they profess or the color of their skin, or the land of their birth. This is the unyielding moral foundation upon which the United Nations must stand.
The UN reform process must strengthen the organisation's effectiveness and relevance without diminishing its presence, services or support in the most vulnerable regions, where assistance is needed most. Reform must enhance delivery, not reduce it. The UN is not perfect, but it remains the cornerstone of multilateral diplomacy and the indispensable platform through which nations preserve peace, advance sustainable development, uphold international law and protect human rights. Solomon Islands looks to the next secretary general to lead with vision and to ensure that the Secretariat is accountable to all member states, serving the interests of small and large states on an equal footing. Mr. president, Solomon Islands reiterates its support for comprehensive reform of the Security Council to make it more representative, transparent, accountable and reflective of today's realities. A council with a dedicated seat for small island developing states would strengthen the legitimacy and effectiveness of the entire multilateral system. The veto is a relic of 1945. Too often it has been used to shield violations of international law and to entrench the double standards that fuel conflict. At a minimum, the veto must never again be used in situations of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes. Ultimately, it should be abolished. Mr. president, it is with great pride that Solomon Islands is again contributing personnel to UN peacekeeping in South Sudan. Despite our small size, our participation reaffirms our enduring commitment to the charter, to international peace and security, and to the noble work of peacekeepers serving communities affected by conflict.
It is about whether a child in Tanna can attend school, whether a farmer in Malekula can bring a produce to market, whether a family in Torba has access to reliable electricity, whether a community in Penama can recover quickly after a natural disaster, and whether our young people can find meaningful opportunities at home rather than being forced to leave in search of them. Mr. president, this year, as Vanuatu celebrated its 46th independence anniversary, we reflected on how far our country has come since 1980. Our independence was not given to us in a golden plate. It was achieved through the determination, courage and sacrifice of our people, supported by our brothers and sisters in the Pacific. At our independence celebrations, we were reminded once again of the importance of solidarity, including the historic support of Papua New Guinea during our struggle for independence. Our 46th independence anniversary was therefore not simply a celebration of the past. It was a call to build the future. The message of our national celebration was one of unity, national pride, resilience, and determination to build a stronger, more prosperous Vanuatu for future generations. And this is important in the context of our discussions today. Vanuatu has experienced cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and economic shocks and other disasters. Yet we continue to stand, we rebuild, we adapt, and we move forward. Resilience is not simply something Vanuatu speaks about.
Mr. Secretary-General, First Lady of the United States, distinguished delegates, ambassadors, and fellow leaders. It's my great honor to welcome the world to America as we celebrate 250 years of glorious freedom and independence. Two and a half centuries after the cause of liberty found its home on this continent, I can report to you with pride that America is back. And our country is stronger today than ever before. Our economy is the envy of the world.
