Mme President,

Thank you, for convening this meeting and thank you, Mr Secretary General, for your insightful briefing. Germany aligns itself with the statement to be delivered by the EU.

This organization is built on the solid foundation of the Charter. Since its creation 80 years ago, the UN has successfully grown across all three pillars of Peace and Security, Development and Human Rights, firmly anchored in international law.
However, 80 years later we are not in a good place.
Our organization faces a variety of crises: structurally and financially. And a lack of agreement in the Security Council on central issues of peace and security.
Permanent Members of the Security Council bear a particular responsibility to uphold the Charter. This includes its most fundamental rule, that “all Member States shall refrain from the use of force against the territorial integrity of any other state”. Unfortunately, it is necessary to stress this fundamental rule today, as a Permanent Member continues its war of aggression against its neighbor and sovereign UN Member State.

We are convinced: We need the UN more than ever. But the world has changed.
We are hearing it loud and clear: The Security Council must be reformed. Unrepresented and underrepresented regions deserve a seat at the table, as do main contributors.

And our organization must adapt, as underdevelopment persists and wars and instability continue.

Together, we can do better. Together, we have achieved so much. The United Nations and its Member States have:

• created admirable and much needed instruments like UN Peacekeeping, Peacebuilding or the UN Development System,
• set a universal standard for dignity, freedom and equality in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• The UN has been at the forefront of advancing women’s rights;
• and we have reached unique achievements like the Agenda 2030, often together with civil society stakeholders.

These achievements instill us with the courage and the confidence that we can drive change together again today. The Pact for the Future defines our vision: digital, preventive, inclusive, and fair, with reforms in the International Financial Architecture to better reflect voices of the Global South. With a strong voice from youth and future generations in mind.

The UN80-initiative provides the framework to become more effective, agile, and responsive. Germany is fully committed to working with all other Member States, the UN Secretary General and system-wide on this initiative. It is not an option, but our joint obligation.

And let me say clearly: Spending less must not be understood as an opportunity to cut back on the organization’s proven impact on sustainable development and the protection of human rights.

Finally: Germany stands ready as a trusted partner, the second largest financial UN contributor, as current Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, last year as co-facilitator of the Pact for the Future and strong advocate for its implementation. We are ready to take over more responsibility in the Security Council in 2027–2028, united for justice, peace, and respect.