Madam President,

Thank you for your clear analysis and forward-looking briefing. And your steadfast commitment to this organization and the entirety of the UN-Charter.

Germany fully aligns itself with the statement by the EU. I wish to make four remarks in my national capacity.

The multilateral system with the UN at its core is under enormous pressure.

Germany encourages the General Assembly as the most representative body of the UN to continue fulfilling its role in maintaining international peace and security as outlined in the Charter. Recent debates such as those on the Question of Palestine or the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine underscore the importance of GA involvement particularly when the Security Council is blocked.

Second - in September 2024, the GA adopted the Pact for the Future; now, we Member States, need to take responsibility for its implementation. We encourage the PGA to continue creating space for Member States to work on the Follow-up of the Pact with the Secretariat and in collaboration with civil society.

Third - we need to ensure that the UN is fit for purpose to address the growing challenges of today’s world. That is why Germany fully supports the UN80 Initiative.

We commend the PGA for providing room, time, and leadership to make the GA a key player in this endeavor.
In the spirit of UN80 we must begin by improving the General Assembly’s own working methods. We have seen progress in workstream 2 and the PGA’s most recent proposal on time management and the promptly consideration on the number of High-Level Meetings. These are concrete steps towards more efficient and manageable proceedings for all delegations, large and small. Germany will continue to contribute concrete ideas as we did with France for the 1st Committee working methods.

Finally, the GA must play a core role in selecting the next UN Secretary General. We look forward to an inclusive and transparent process with meaningful dialogues between candidates, Member States and civil society. We must ensure the selection of the most capable leader - an adamant reformer who stands for peace, development and human rights to guide this organization forward. And, as mentioned before, we encourage the nomination of women for this crucial position of Secretary General.

We thank the PGA for prioritizing these points. Germany stands ready to work with all Member States to strengthen a future-oriented efficient and effective UN at the core of a strong multilateral system.