Madam President,

First of all, thank you for the timely convening of this important meeting today. I should also like to thank the distinguished delegation from Pakistan for their introduction.

We are witnessing a deep crisis of the Security Council—one that reflects perceptions of the entire United Nations system. This crisis is driven by political division and, unfortunately, by a lack of respect for the UN Charta. Also, we are exposed to a flawed communication: all too often, achievements of the Security Council are insufficiently visible and lack clear, forward-looking messaging.

In 2025, the Security Council achieved important results: It reinforced international security support for Haiti. It endorsed the ceasefire in Gaza. It advanced the diplomatic reintegration of Syria.

Madam President,

A report of the Security Council should serve three purposes: transparency, analysis, and public accountability. It should draw a differentiated picture in order to counter the simplistic narratives of a blocked forum. If elected to the Security Council for 2027-2028, Germany stands ready to contribute to making the Council’s work more transparent.

The report should present—clearly and in plain language—what has been achieved and why these achievements matter. It must also be candid about shortcomings. Naming failures strengthens credibility. In this respect, the chapter assessing veto use is a step in the right direction; we suggest it to encompass a trend analysis and to enumerate resolution projects which have been withdrawn.

On several occasions, when the Council was blocked, the General Assembly sprang into action. The Annual Report should help make this important element more visible and, thus, strengthen the relationship between the Security Council and the General Assembly.

With a view to the next report let me stress: Less can be more, a clearer structure of the introduction, a concise executive summary accessible to non-specialists, and a presentation of the year’s key decisions and lessons learned. Visuals could help—charts on activity levels, voting patterns, and thematic trends.

A strong report can contribute to a more realistic picture of the Council, in the General Assembly and in the broader public.

I thank you!