Annalena Baerbock (General Assembly President) on dialogues for the position of the next Secretary-General - Media Stakeout

Good morning, colleagues. Thanks so much for joining us. It is my pleasure to present Her Excellency Annalena Baerbock, the President of the General Assembly, who this morning will convene the interactive dialogues for the selection and appointment process of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations. Her Excellency will say a few words, and then she will depart to the dialogues, so she will be unable to take questions this morning, but you will see her shortly in the Trusteeship Council. Your Excellency, you have the floor.

Good morning, and thank you all for joining me here today. In just a few minutes, I will convene the first of the interactive dialogues with candidates for the position of Secretary-General for the United Nations. While the interactive dialogues mark a critical step in the process and highlight the important role of the General Assembly in the selection and appointment of the next Secretary-General, these dialogues also come at a pivotal moment for the United Nations. The selection of the Secretary-General has widespread consequences that resonate far beyond this building. Our choice will shape the direction of the world's unique multilateral organization and demonstrate whether the United Nations truly represents the more than eight billion people around the world who are half women and girls. A decade has passed since the last new Secretary-General was chosen, and in those 10 years, the world has undergone profound change. We have witnessed shifting geopolitical dynamics, a rise in violence and conflict, an accelerating climate crisis, rapid technological transformation, a global health pandemic and widening inequalities between nations. At the same time, while the United Nations is under unprecedented political and financial pressure, the need for global cooperation has never been more urgent, especially given the fact that in our interconnected world, what unfolds in one region echoes across all others. Therefore, respect for international law and engagement within the United Nations is neither abstract nor theoretical. In this context, the selection of the next Secretary-General is not simply an administrative decision, it is a statement of intent. It will send a powerful message about what the United Nations stands for and how it intends to address the challenges of today's interconnected world. The next Secretary General will be entrusted not only with navigating these challenges, but also with advancing essential reforms to ensure an organisation born 80 years ago from the ashes of two world wars is capable of meeting the 21st century challenges. In a time of unprecedented financial and political pressure on the United Nations, strong and principled, effective leadership is essential to ensure that the Charter's promise of serving the people is kept. UN, through its agencies and programs, ensures everyday access for millions of people to clean drinking water, education for children, and even aviation safety for billion passengers every year taking airplanes. Based on the revitalization resolution and joint letter with the President of the Security Council, the interactive dialogues are essential to ensuring a transparent and inclusive process. During the three-hour dialogues, candidates will have the chance to highlight their vision for the United Nations. By answering questions from 193 member states, they will also be given the opportunity to demonstrate their proven leadership abilities, experience, and skills to lead a strong, fit-for-the-future organization, as well as their capacity to deliver across all three pillars of the United Nations of peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights. These pillars are not separate mandates, but are deeply interconnected. They are interconnected commitments that form the foundation of a peaceful, just, and prosperous world, and the Secretary-General must be their strongest advocate. The UN Charter begins with we, the peoples, and the decision about the future leadership does not concern a few, but all of us, in and outside the United Nations. It is therefore essential that civil society is heard as well. Obviously, with over 10 million civil society organizations worldwide, it wasn't possible to invite all of them, so the UN had an open call for civil society that attracted interest from organizations all over the world covering a huge range of thematic areas. The voices and questions of civil society representatives, both in room and virtually, will be heard in the Trusteeship Council alongside Member States and observers. In a nutshell, That is one of the toughest jobs in the world, but it's also one of the most important, as the next Secretary General will not only shape the future of this institution, but in her or his role as the strongest defender of the UN Charter, also that of the international rules based order. I thank you.