at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly Informal Consultations on the Summit of the Future: Chapter 5 on Global Governance

I speak on behalf of the EU and its Member States. The Candidate Countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the potential candidate country Georgia, as well as Andorra and Monaco, align themselves with this statement.

Excellencies, co-facilitators,

Todays’ crises call for an urgent reform of the multilateral system to make it fit for purpose. For the Pact to deliver on the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, solidarity, equality and universality, our institutions must be reformed to be representative and effective. 

Allow me to highlight several areas that require our attention:

[Foresight and Preparedness, UN 2.0]

First, we need to strengthen the UN’s strategic capabilities to be able to anticipate and respond to risks and global shocks. The EU supports the Secretary General’s approach to make the UN more effective through a ‘Quintet of Change’, in particular data science and strategic foresight, as part of the wider reform agenda.

The UN75 Declaration's call for a more prepared UN response to global crises, for example through an Emergency Platform, is also indispensable. We advocate for an inclusive and interdisciplinary UN coordination to address global shocks, leveraging existing tools, and prioritizing evidence-based decision-making for enhanced accountability.

[Peace and Security Architecture Reform]

Second, we have to address the governance structures of the multilateral system. We support a comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council towards making it more effective, inclusive, transparent, democratic, and accountable and better reflecting today’s realities by strengthening the voice of underrepresented regions, especially but not limited to Africa. We also need to ensure that the Security Council is not paralysed in cases of mass atrocities, and therefore we support initiatives, such as the French-Mexican proposal to refrain from using the veto in cases of mass atrocities, as well as the ACT Code of Conduct regarding Security Council action against genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes including the crime of aggression; and the veto initiative (Resolution 76/262) to ensure that the UN as a whole is better able to act in times of crisis. The Summit of the Future is an opportunity to bring new momentum to the process, which however is to be discussed in the IGN.

As a key deliverable, the role and impact of the Peacebuilding Commission should be further strengthened. Within the Peacebuilding Commission, greater emphasis should be laid on conflict prevention. We fully support the Secretary General’s assertion that conflict prevention is a universal obligation that all member states have committed to. At the intergovernmental level, the PBC could serve as a forum for discussing national prevention strategies. This would strengthen the PBC’s focus on conflict prevention and could be linked with incentives through the Peacebuilding Fund.

We also encourage the UN to work across all its pillars and strengthen its partnerships with regional organisations, drawing on their comparative advantages. A pact for the future also needs to reflect the challenges for international peace and security that the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution is causing and address these in a multi-disciplinary, cross-sectoral, inter-agency manner.

[A networked development system]

Third, the international financial architecture needs to mobilize stable and long-term financing for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement and other relevant frameworks.

The EU will, therefore, support the ongoing processes in the International Financial Institutions to create a more inclusive global financial architecture, strengthening a rules-based and equitable financial system that ensures a more effective global economic governance, and welcomes the Multilateral Development Banks reform process in this regard.

Moreover, we must strengthen the coordination role of the UN system on the ground through the Resident Coordinators.

[Outer space]

Fourth, the acceleration of space services and applications requires us to reinforce space governance with a view to foster a peaceful, safe, secure and sustainable use of outer space, including through the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. A UN approach that reduces space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviour is a pragmatic way forward to improve space security, and help prevent an arms race in outer space.

[GA Revitalization and ECOSOC]

Fifth, the EU supports the revitalisation of the UN General Assembly towards making the UN more efficient, transparent and accountable; the strengthening of the ECOSOC, including better cooperation with its numerous subsidiary bodies and more coordination with the PBC. Overlaps between the General Assembly and ECOSOC should be avoided.

We also support strengthening the connection between the UN and regional organisations, like the European Union or the African Union.

 [Cross-cutting elements]

Sixth, we need to ensure that international law, human rights, gender equality, the rights and empowerment of all women and girls and the combat against all forms of discrimination are essential cross-cutting elements of the reform of the multilateral system to achieve shared prosperity and reduce structural inequalities. A rights-based approach is a requirement to make global governance effective, inclusive, and accountable, as well as a key requirement for economic development.

The monitoring and review of UN Member States commitments to implement decisions that they sign up to should be considerably reinforced. In this sense, we should aim to strengthen the international framework on gender equality, including through the full implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, and the outcomes of their review conferences.

    [Climate and environment]

There can be no future without a healthy planet. SDGs cannot be achieved without clean and sustainable environment. Any Global Governance reform should be fully aligned with, and contribute to the implementation of agreed objectives, including the Paris Agreement, the Kunming-Montreal, the Global Biodiversity Framework, Global Framework on Chemicals, UNCLOS and the new High Seas treaty. New and emerging environmental challenges, such as sea-level rise, must also be met with swift and effective responses. The climate and biodiversity architecture needs to improve access to finance for the most vulnerable. Mobilising additional private sector finance and exploring innovative funding sources are crucial.

   [Digital and Information]

Further, digital governance is a growing component of global governance that must be adequately addressed. We are looking forward to the report from the SG’s High-level Advisory Body on AI and to a constructive discussion on digital issues, including AI, under Chapter 3 next week, and as part of the process towards a Global Digital Compact.

[Inclusive Multilateralism]

Finally, we support the SG’s call for a stronger, more networked and inclusive multilateral system, anchored within the UN. Also by ensuring a stronger involvement of all relevant stakeholders.

I thank you.