General Assembly Revitalization, Broader UN Reform Are Inseparable, Speakers Tell 193-Member Body, Urging Action to Make Organization Stronger, More Effective

As the General Assembly convened today, delegates heard that this year’s revitalization process is unfolding against the backdrop of a broader reform agenda under the UN80 Initiative — and that the two efforts are inseparable.

Presiding over the meeting, Assembly President Annalena Baerbock (Germany) stressed that both tracks share a common purpose:  to make the United Nations “more effective, more efficient and ultimately stronger”.  But, she also warned, “business as usual will not suffice”.

“We need fewer repetitive resolutions, shorter debates and smarter scheduling” — “no more resolutions for resolution’s sake”, only those that genuinely advance peace, development and human rights, she told the 193-member organ.

Reforms “remain just words on paper” unless implemented in good faith.  Assembly resolution 79/327 sets a clear path forward, Ms. Baerbock said, noting that it merges duplicative agenda items, limits explanations of vote, simplifies adoption procedures and encourages biennial and triennial cycles where appropriate.

“We cannot preach on Sunday that we need fewer resolutions, then submit one on Monday,” she continued.  Yet, we continue to see resolutions without budgets, high-level meetings that exceed agreed limits, and more than 160 side events during high-level week.  This is “not sustainable”, particularly for smaller missions expected to attend multiple meetings simultaneously.

Delegations weighed in on the functioning and work of the Organization with the representative of the European Union, in his capacity as observer, echoing the Assembly President in making the link between revitalization and the UN80 reform initiative — briefly summarizing progress made and gaps remaining in each of the Assembly’s six Main Committees.  For example, in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), he called for a systematic review of what causes “repeated extensions” and lost time in resumed sessions.

Tackling More Global Challenges with Less Resources

Revitalization is urgent in an era of “growing global challenges and even more limited resources”, said Australia, also speaking on behalf of Canada, Australia, New Zealand.  He urged delegations to “walk the talk” by advancing unfinished reform: adding time-bound provisions or review clauses to mandates, assessing resource implications of new resolutions and using multi-year renewals where texts don’t change.

Other speakers, including Algeria’s on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, noted the General Assembly’s role as “the most representative, democratic and universal organ of the United Nations”.  To that end, he urged the Assembly to view revitalization not as a procedural exercise, but as a political, Member-State-driven one that bolsters the Assembly’s role.  “The participation of all States, particularly developing countries, must remain central,” he said, while also cautioning that the UN80 Initiative should not divert attention or resources away from the core priorities of developing countries.

Brunei Darussalam’s delegate said the UN is at a “a defining moment” that demands a multilateral system “fit for service”, underscoring the Assembly’s “central position” as the UN’s chief deliberative and representative body.  “What’s at stake is guaranteeing that this body remains at the heart of multilateralism, and that it remains the forum in which all nations are able to develop common responses to global challenges,” added El Salvador’s representative.

Balance among Three Main Pillars of UN’s Work

Mongolia’s representative agreed with other speakers that discussions on revitalization and the UN80 reform plan should complement each other.  “The [Assembly] must remain central to the Organization’s work as enshrined in the Charter,” she stressed, also joining speakers who called for balance among the three main pillars of the UN’s work “without prioritizing one over another”.

“Revitalization must remain Member-State-driven, inclusive and anchored in multilingualism and equality of treatment among delegations and groups,” said Egypt’s representative.  He voiced support for adequate resourcing, as well as various proposed streamlining methods, such as the time-bound mandate implementation review process and the “one-gavel approach”.  “Rationalizing mandates is not an end in itself, it is a means to deliver better for — and to safeguard space for — the priorities of developing countries,” he stressed.

Building on this emphasis on the Assembly’s centrality and balanced responsibilities, Estonia’s delegate, speaking on behalf of ACT Group, underscored that the General Assembly also has “a clear and active role to play” in matters of international peace and security, especially “when the Security Council is unable to act”.  He welcomed resolution 79/327 for strengthening the Assembly’s tools including the emergency special session and the veto initiative, which enhance accountability.  He reaffirmed the need for “credible, timely and decisive action” to prevent atrocity crimes, alongside adherence to the ACT Code of Conduct.

Women’s Representation at Highest Levels

Other delegations called for women’s representation at both the levels of President of the General Assembly and Secretary-General.  Malaysia’s representative, speaking on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said:  “No woman has ever been the UN Secretary-General.”  “We must translate our commitment to gender equality into action through appointments to this important position,” he emphasized.

Slovenia’s representative, also speaking on behalf of Mexico and Spain, pointed out that Ms. Baerbock is only the fifth woman ever to serve in that capacity.  Moreover, no woman has ever held the position of Secretary-General.  “These facts are not only regrettable, they are unacceptable,” he stressed.

The Assembly then turned to its agenda item on “Integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields”.

“We cannot solve one problem in isolation from the others,” Ms. Baerbock Assembly told the Hall, adding that hunger cannot be addressed without health, poverty cannot end without education, and climate action cannot advance without decent work.  The Economic and Social Council’s work reflects “the breadth and depth of the UN’s social and economic mission”, from spotlighting the plight of children in Haiti to examining forced displacement, addressing environmental crime, advancing discussions on a global tax regime and assessing the impact of small arms and light weapons in perpetuating gender-based violence.

Through voluntary national reviews, she said, the Council provides the accountability and oversight required to steer reform across the UN development system.  “Reform belongs to all of us,” she said, adding that the Council’s unique contribution is central to a “re-energized multilateral system and a re-energized United Nations”.

Closer Links with International Financial Institutions

We must be “much more closely linked” with the international financial institutions, because “it makes no sense for us to be doing our jobs completely separately from each other”, said Robert Rae (Canada), President of Economic and Social Council, as he introduced its report (document A/80/3).  This year’s successful biennial summit, deeper engagement with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the Council’s s new focus on AI as a “permanent feature” of its work all reflect that shift.  The Council has also advanced the SDGs, highlighted the crisis of “over 140 million people” displaced worldwide, continued its focus on Haiti and defended civil society’s rightful place in UN deliberations.

Economic and social issues “are not frills”, Mr. Rae continued.  Noting that he will be stepping down as Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations, he said that UN80 is “an opportunity, not just a crisis”, adding that those who fail to pay their dues resemble “deadbeat dads” who neglect obligations to their families.  “When we all signed up for the Charter, we signed up to pay our dues,” he reminded.

Better Support for Achieving Sustainable Development

Delegations also weighed in on the Council’s work and specifically with regards to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.  The representative of the European Union, in his capacity as observer, voiced regret that the world is not on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.  “This reality calls for renewed determination and more efficient, focused mandates and structures,” he emphasized.  Next year’s review of the Council’s at the high-level political forum will be a crucial opportunity to turn the Council into a “genuine accountability and solutions chamber”.

The representative of Maldives made several recommendations for how the Council can better support countries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. “Make coherence and coordination real,” he said, also calling for integrated implementation at every level. Guinea’s representative called for a comprehensive approach to the implementation of the SDGs, warning that lack of financing and growing indebtedness remain major obstacles for many countries.  Australia’s representative, also speaking for New Zealand, said that the Charter “is not a buffet”, stressing the Council’s role as “a bridge between policy and implementation” and as a forum that responds to the realities of a world facing multiple crises.

More specifically, the representative of the Dominican Republic said that the work of the ad hoc advisory group on Haiti “gave us fundamental guidance” on the need to address the humanitarian and development dimensions in Haiti — “otherwise we will not be able to make progress”.  The special meeting on 2 December 2024 titled “The Children of Haiti Cannot Wait” and the joint meeting on 11 June 2025 were “strategic interventions to guide international actions” towards these dimensions, he said, adding that children comprise half of the members of armed gangs there — “not due to their choice, but due to the fact that there is a lack of other alternatives”.

Complete Live Blog coverage of today's meeting can be found here.