Dear Mr President, distinguished colleagues,

I hold this statement on behalf of the EU and its member states.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Albania*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina* and Georgia, as well as Armenia, Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

Mr President,

Thank you for this opportunity to hear your priorities for the next months of your presidency.

Much has been said about the current state of the world and the complex and interrelated challenges, countries – and the UN – face today. We know the responsibilities that lie on our shoulders.  Your impressive programme and commitment as President of the General Assembly is crucial in making the world in 2025 more peaceful, more sustainable, equitable and inclusive, and for protecting human rights and human dignity.

2025 is a pivotal year. We will commemorate the UN’s 80^th, the 30^th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Sustainable Development Goals’ 10^th anniversary. With only five years to go to fully implement the SDGs, and with growing needs and inequalities in times of uncertainty, we must urgently work collectively on all three interrelated pillars, and ensure the UN’s effectiveness in achieving peace and security, sustainable

development and respect for human rights for all.

At this start of 2025, we need commitment to multilateralism, coherence in our actions and effectiveness of the General Assembly.

1. [Commitment to multilateralism and Pact implementation]

Under your leadership, Mr President, we adopted the Pact for the Future less than six months ago.

Our re-commitment to the core values of multilateralism, with the UN at its core, and to reinvigorate efforts on peace and security, human rights and triple planetary crisis, came hand-in-hand with our pledge to turbo-charge the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Months of tough discussions led, in the end, to consensus. We found compromises, not only to help us accelerate the implementation of the Agenda 2030, but also to address new challenges and re-build trust – among ourselves, and vis-à-vis the UN.

Having lit this torch at the start of the 79^th session, we must now carry it into the new year. This, however, calls for commitment from all of us to actively and genuinely take ownership of the Pact and ensure its implementation.

Since the Summit, the EU and its member states have been actively focused on driving forward the implementation of the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations – and we will continue along this path. To name one example on the GDC, the EU has provided €4 million in support of the OHCHR work on its digital human rights Advisory Service.

Mr President, we highly appreciate your efforts to follow-up on the Pact and its annexes and look forward to your continued leadership. Fostering inclusive dialogue among us - and with civil society and other stakeholders - is instrumental for success.

Your address to the 6^th Committee last October facilitated critical progress towards strengthening the rule of law. It resulted in concrete steps towards establishing new legal frameworks for the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity, and the protection of persons in the event of disasters.

2. [Coherence in our action]

Second, our pursuit for reinvigorated multilateralism must be comprehensive and coherent, both in substance and process.

Numerous important processes, including reform processes, culminate under your Chairmanship this year.

From (1) strengthening our actions in peace and security, including through the Peace-building Architecture Review, (2) promoting economic, social, and environmental sustainability, especially for countries in vulnerable situations, for example through the 4^th International Conference on Financing for Development and the UN Ocean Conference processes and the UN 2026 Water Conference, (3) using the Thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the revitalization process for the Commission on the Status of Women, and the preparations of the World Social Summit to advance important equality agendas – all will be important milestones.

If we deliver realistic and strong outcomes, building on existing mechanisms, boosting efforts and reforms where needed, the results of these meetings and processes can have a crucial impact on the lives of our citizens, by addressing some of the major challenges we face.

The General Assembly must play an active role in addressing these challenges. It can – and should - break silos and foster a more coordinated and networked UN – bridging gaps and seeking synergies between the GA, the Security Council, ECOSOC, the Peace-Building Commission and the Human Rights Council. Cross-cutting issues, such as human rights and climate change, should not be reserved for one single Committee as they have transversal effects.

In particular, ensuring respect for International Humanitarian Law, unhindered humanitarian access and protection of civilians always and everywhere, should be at the core of our discussions and deliberations in the GA – especially given the grave situations faced in that respect. We thus welcome your decision to convene an informal interactive dialogue later this month on IHL compliance.

Crucially, throughout our work, we must do more to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

Youth and civil society should be put at the centre and mainstreamed in all aspects of our work as well as involved more systematically and comprehensively in the work of this organization. Multi-stakeholder engagement and building partnerships should stand at the core of the UN. We respectfully urge you, Mr President, to ensure consistent and meaningful inclusion of these actors. This includes promoting a safe and enabling environment, free from fear of reprisals, for all those engaging with the UN. We also look forward to the commemoration this year of the 30^th anniversary of the World Food Programme of Action for Youth.

3. [Effectiveness of the General Assembly]

Finally, in the Committee Season just concluded we have once again witnessed the urgent need to improve the General Assembly’s working methods. In this context, this year’s discussion about the revitalisation of the General Assembly holds renewed relevance.  

We reiterate our call to be consistent and coherent across Committees in our efforts to rationalise our agendas, and become more effective and efficient. We shall also strive for greater transparency in the selection processes for executive heads, and the appointment of the next Secretary General.

We have seen that innovative proposal such as the Veto Initiative can have real impact. The recent publication of a handbook on the General Assembly’s Past Practice on Peace and Security is also welcome. As the broader global context for our work deteriorates with the highest number of countries engaged in conflict since the foundation of the UN, it is more important than ever that in our response we build on this initiative to ensure that we deploy the full range of tools at our disposal. The EU is eager to work with others to find more innovative solutions and collaborate with all partners in our endeavour to make the GA, and by extension the UN, most fit for purpose.   

Mr President, the GA remains the primary forum for dialogue, cooperation, and collective action. The EU and Member States will be steadfast in support to the work of this important body.

We are confident that, with your agenda, much can be achieved in 2025. We are ready to work alongside you, Mr President, jointly with member states, international partners, and civil society, to ensure that the United Nations General Assembly fulfils its mission for everyone and remains a beacon of hope for current and future generations.

Thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.