JAKARTA - The President of the General Assembly of the United Nations has invited all countries to defend the UN Charter and international law, when the multilateral system is under pressure and under attack.
In her speech to the General Assembly on her priorities for 2026 on Wednesday, Annalena Baerbock said: "Under normal circumstances, I would wish you a happy new year, but looking at the world out there, how 2026 started in Caracas, Tehran, frankly, happiness is very rare."
"We are at a decisive moment that is even more urgent than four months ago, when I opened the 80th session," he said, launching Anadolu (15/1).
"The multilateral system is not only under pressure, but also under attack," he warned.
Referring to developments in Gaza to Afghanistan, from Sudan to Ukraine since September 2025, Baerbock said: "The world needs the United Nations. The world will not be better without our United Nations."
"This unity is worth fighting for," Baerbock said.
Calling on UN member states to uphold and defend the UN Charter and international law, he said: "We all know, no country can sleep soundly while more and more Member States, including some P5 (permanent members of the UN Security Council), violate the core principles of our Charter."
He also stressed the need for "consensus" among member states and said: "A strong majority of the General Assembly, in this case, is not a failure of multilateralism; it is a reaffirmation of it."
Regarding the next Secretary-General of the UN, the President of the General Assembly said it would be one of the main priorities this year, with the nomination process underway and an interactive dialogue with the candidates planned for the week of April 20.
"The next Secretary-General will not only be the face and voice of this institution, our choice will also show whether this organization truly serves all of humanity, half of which are women and girls," he explained.
Encouraging member states to nominate women candidates specifically, Baerbock said: "We need someone who is capable of carrying out the existing tasks; who can design a path to the future, while passionately defending the principles of our Charter."
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