Secretary-General Congratulates Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh on Election as Next President of General Assembly

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks on the election of the President of the General Assembly for its eighty-first session, in New York today:

Let me begin by congratulating His Excellency Dr. Khalilur Rahman, from the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, on his election as President of the eighty-first session of the General Assembly.

His theme is an inspiring call to action for the multilateral system — “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation:  A United Nations that Delivers for All”.  It reflects his commitment to strengthening the global problem-solving system that has delivered for the world since 1945.

Mr. President-elect, your remarkable political and diplomatic experience are a guarantee of success to the benefit not only of the General Assembly but of the United Nations as a whole.

Mr. President-elect, you can also count on my full support as you take on this important responsibility.

I also want to pay tribute to Her Excellency, Annalena Baerbock of Germany, for her outstanding leadership as President of the eightieth session.  Since her election, President Baerbock has brought to life her vision of “Better Together”.

At this delicate moment in international relations, she rallied Member States around implementation of the important actions contained in the Pact for the Future to rebuild trust in the multilateral system.

And I also fully appreciate her commitment to reform through the UN80 Initiative process, as we work with Member States to make our Organization more effective, agile and prepared for the challenges ahead.

And as the fifth woman to take on the role of President of the General Assembly, she has consistently reminded us that women’s rights are embedded in the UN’s founding principles and are essential for global justice.

President Baerbock — thank you for your wisdom, guidance and deep commitment to the United Nations and multilateral solutions.

Mr. President-elect, you are taking the reins of the eighty-first General Assembly at a moment of deep challenge but also profound possibility for our Organization.

We face conflicts, divisions, rising inequality and climate chaos. Lagging progress on the Sustainable Development Goals — our blueprint for a better future — is unacceptable, with just one fifth of the Goals on track.

And we contend with institutions and structures that are stuck in the world as it was in 1945, not the world of today — from the UN Security Council to the global financial architecture.

And the global trust deficit is deepening, with countries turning their backs on one another.

Human suffering is increasing.  And even as humanitarian needs reach record levels, funding for lifesaving [aid] and sustainable development continues to decrease.

These challenges are stark.  But the hard work of diplomacy, dialogue and collaboration that happens each and every day here at the General Assembly gives me renewed hope that we can transform divisions into determination to work in common purpose.

The Pact for the Future and the UN80 Initiative represent a blueprint for action, solutions and bold reforms to carry our Organization into the future.

And [the] work of this Assembly is critical to bringing these commitments to life and delivering real solutions and results that can renew the world’s faith in the work we do here.

For eight decades, the United Nations has been the place where collaborative solutions to the world’s greatest challenges are forged.

I have enormous hope that the eighty-first General Assembly will live up to this great promise.

As we embark on the journey ahead, let us be guided by the same problem-solving spirit that has defined our Organization from the very start.

Let’s demonstrate the solidarity — and deliver the results — that this defining moment in history demands, and that people and planet need and deserve.

You can count on my full support, Mr. President-elect, in this important effort.