UN Organization
Selection of the next Secretary-General at UNGA 81
Raised by 75 of 223 speakers. Read verbatim UN transcript quotes and select a time to hear the speech.
Speeches that raised selection of the next secretary-general
Guyana · Day 3Mohamed Irfaan AliWe must ensure that the resources of the UN match the responsibilities we have entrusted to it.
But institutions do not reform themselves.
They require leadership capable of seeing beyond the present and imagining the institution the future demands.
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New Zealand · Day 6Victoria Louise HallumAs we prepare to appoint the next Secretary-General to lead the UN into the next phase, we should be clear about what this moment requires.
We ask the next Secretary-General to work with us to preserve the integrity of the global disarmament framework, particularly on weapons of mass destruction.
Second, we call on the next Secretary-General to provide strong leadership across the UN's development and human rights pillars.
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Spain · Day 2Pedro Sánchez Pérez-CastejónAt the end of the day, the future of our children is more important than the pockets of these tech oligarchs.
Of course, doing all of these things will require compromise, time, strong leadership being able to build agreements, to listen, to look beyond our known reality and imagine a better alternative.
And what I'm advocating for, for this leadership, is very clear.
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Timor-Leste · Day 2José Ramos-HortaYou brought to the office neither an ego in constant need of reassurance nor a vanity requiring daily attention.
You have remained humble, honest, and steadfast in your principles, never losing sight of the millions of women and children who have been abandoned and forgotten, caught in the turmoil of wars unleashed by warlords.
As these wars drag on and their human and material costs become ever more unbearable, the firefighters are blamed for failing to extinguish the very fires set by the arsonists themselves.
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Maldives · Day 4Hussain Mohamed LatheefWe do so.
because small states must be decision makers, not decision takers.
Representation matters not only within the bodies of this organization, but also in its leadership.
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Papua New Guinea · Day 4James MarapeAnd with this, I want to place on record Papua New Guinea's fullest acknowledgement on all speakers from the Pacific who have spoken, all leaders who spoke.
I fully, on behalf of Papua New Guinea, affirm all their points, the points that was raised.
also wish to acknowledge the Secretary General of United Nations, His Excellency Antonio Guterres, as he approaches the completion of his tenure.
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Bahamas (the) · Day 4Philip Edward DavisMr. President, Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, congratulations, Your Excellency, Khalilah Rahman, on your election.
The Bahamas pledges to you its full support.
Mr. President, every generation inherits a promise it did not make.
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Finland · Day 1Alexander StubbEvery Secretary-General is shaped both by their era and by their own actions.
And I was reminded of this when I recently read the biographies of two former Secretaries-General, U Thant and Kofi Annan, both highly influential leaders who navigated an era of great power tensions.
Let me put forward a few suggestions for the new Secretary-General's consideration, whoever she may be, and for the international community at large.
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Latvia · Day 2Edgars RinkēvičsIts composition must better reflect the world of today, not the world of 1945.
Latvia supports an expanded and more representative Security Council.
Excellencies, reform is also about leadership.
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Romania · Day 2Nicuşor-Daniel DanSince 1991, Romania has contributed to United Nations peacekeeping missions through political support, troop and equipment contributions, as well as through training blue helmets and close protection officers.
Romania also attaches great importance to the role of the International Organization of La Francophonie in promoting peace and security.
With the majority of its 90 members located in Africa, the OIF supports mediation, electoral monitoring, and peacebuilding in fragile contexts.
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Paraguay · Day 2Santiago Peña PalaciosParaguay wishes to shoulder greater responsibilities within the system, but this system as it stands simply isn't working.
That is why we believe that the selection of the next Secretary-General will be a fundamental decision.
The time has come for that leadership to come from Latin America and the Caribbean.
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Dominican Republic · Day 2Luis Rodolfo Abinader CoronaThis year, we were one of the first countries to fully pay our contribution to the regular budget.
Renewing representation requires a Security Council that looks more like the multipolar world of the present.
and it also requires thinking about who will lead this organization next.
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Botswana · Day 2Duma Gideon BokoMr. President, Botswana warmly congratulates you on your election to preside over the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
We assure you of our full support as you shoulder this important responsibility.
We also commend the outgoing president for a distinguished stewardship.
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Bulgaria · Day 2Iliana IotovaThe Pact for the Future provides an important guideline, but it must be supported by real reform.
The Security Council ought to reflect the world of today with more equitable regional representation and greater legitimacy and effectiveness.
Bulgaria is in favor of an enlargement of the Council's two membership categories, including with at least one additional non-permanent seat for the group of Eastern European states.
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Namibia · Day 2Netumbo Nandi-NdaitwahWe commend him for overseeing the largest part of the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that have energized international support, including the actions in the Pact for the Future.
Namibia stands ready to work with the incoming Secretary-General.
However, let me point out that since the establishment of the United Nations in 1945, no woman has served a Secretary-General of the Organization.
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Slovakia · Day 2Peter PellegriniWe already have knowledge.
But what we need now is the will to use them.
This year, the United Nations will choose its next Secretary-General.
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Uganda · Day 2Jessica Rose Epel AlupoAs the chair of NAM, Uganda continues to uphold the principles of unity, peace and solidarity among developing nations.
We remain dedicated to advancing the International Covenant on the Right to Development, aiming to transform the 1986 declaration into a binding operational instrument that tackles structural global inequalities.
We look forward to hosting the ministers of NAM member states and observers at the ministerial meeting of the NAM Coordinating Bureau in Kampala from December 2nd to 4th, 2026.
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Zimbabwe · Day 3Emmerson Dambudzo MnangagwaMr. President, Zimbabwe supports UNHCR reforms that reduce duplication, improve coordination, modernize systems, and strengthen field implementation.
At this juncture of global development, the success of reforms should be reflected by conflicts prevented, development advanced, assistance delivered, and communities strengthened.
The selection of the next Secretary-General, therefore, comes at a defining moment.
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European Union · Day 3António CostaIt is essential that Iran never be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.
And finally, we hope that the Iranian people can in the future live in peace, security, and as free men and women.
Excellencies, the United Nations need an ambitious leader that is firmly committed to the principles of its charter and respect of international law, as is currently being demonstrated by Antonio Guterres.
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Senegal · Day 3Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar FayeIn that vein, Senegal is presenting its candidacy to a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for 2032-2033.
However, beyond reform, the organization also needs experienced leadership.
to steer its work in these times of crisis and uncertainty.
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Fiji · Day 3Ratu Naiqama Tawakecolati LalabalavuFor Pacific small island developing states, efficiency must not mean distance.
The multi-country offices serving our region are essential bridges between global commitments and island realities.
Reform must strengthen and not thin our capacity to deliver where need is the greatest.
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Barbados · Day 3Mia Amor MottleyMr. President, I would like to express profound appreciation to the Secretary General, my brother Antonio Guterres.
His voice has been constant, steady, and absolutely right on all of the critical issues facing humanity.
And to his deputy, Amina Mohammed, We also say thank you for taking the journey without diverting from the principles and the core values of this charter.
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Greece · Day 3Kyriakos MitsotakisAnd the selection of the 10th Secretary-General presents a historic opportunity for the reinvigoration of the organization when it is most needed.
Ladies and gentlemen, the first step in restoring confidence in multilateralism is acknowledging where it has actually succeeded.
And few examples are more powerful than the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
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Liechtenstein · Day 4Sabine MonauniThey want to see positive change for the UN to emerge stronger, more effective, more relevant.
But we all have to be prepared to be part of the change that we want to see.
Resisting the temptation of collective inertia and of waiting for positive change to happen on its own will, require our active political investment.
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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Day 4Godwin FridayFurther, as we proceed with selecting our next secretary general, let us be more open and inclusive.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is pleased to join other Caribbean community members in endorsing the candidacy of her excellency, Carolyn Rodriguez Burkett of Trinidad of Guyana.
and of the region of Latin America and the Caribbean.
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Norway · Day 4Espen Barth EideWith that comes responsibility.
The UN80 process needs to continue under the next Secretary-General.
We need to see this initiative succeed.
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Guatemala · Day 4Carlos Ramiro Martínez AlvaradoThat transformation must also reach the Security Council.
Its composition must better reflect the realities of the 21st century and remedy the long-standing underrepresentation of entire regions.
When the veto causes paralysis in the face of serious threats to international peace and security, confidence in the entire system suffers.
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Belize · Day 5John BriceñoMr. President, this is a new dawn for my country and a moment of renewal for this organization.
This year, the United Nations will select its 10th Secretary-General.
Belize proudly supports the candidacy of her excellency Carolyn Rodriguez Brickett of Guyana.
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Singapore · Day 5Vivian BalakrishnanI welcome the progress of the UN80 initiative, but reform must be strategic, not merely fiscal.
Reform must strengthen the equal standing of all members.
The goal is not a smaller UN for its own sake, but one that delivers better and more equitably.
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Germany · Day 5Johann WadephulWe must acknowledge that many of the beams of this common house cannot carry the burden we put on them.
We must decide which parts of the house do we preserve and which do we rebuild.
For this endeavor to succeed, we need the new Secretary-General to lead a profound process of reform.
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Jamaica · Day 5Kamina Johnson SmithMr. President, the selection of the next Secretary-General will be one of the most consequential decisions before Member States this year.
Jamaica proudly joins our CARICOM family in supporting the candidacy of Her Excellency, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
Her candidacy also speaks to something larger.
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Indonesia · Day 5SugionoIndonesia's leadership philosophy passed down through generations teaches us that leaders must possess the capability to lead by example from the front, build confidence while standing among the people, and empower from behind.
Leadership is not simply about commanding.
It is about exercising wisdom and giving others the strength to move forward.
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President of the General Assembly (closing) · Day 6Dr. Khalilur RahmanExcellencies, The appointment of the next Secretary-General also emerged as one of this Assembly's most consequential responsibilities at a time when the Organization is facing complex issues and challenges.
The Charter is clear about the selection process, that the Security Council will recommend and the General Assembly will appoint the next Secretary-General.
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France · Day 1Emmanuel Macronas we elect a new Secretary-General, and I'd like to pay tribute to the efforts of Antonio Guterres over all these years under such testing conditions.
He never gave in.
We must address old crises, tackle new challenges.
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Angola · Day 1João Manuel Gonçalves LourençoTo that end, I believe there's a need to strengthen North-South South-South and triangular cooperation in order to make the digital revolution an instrument of inclusion, sovereignty and development rather than a source of dependence and inequality.
Excellencies, we are drawing close to the end of the tenure of the current Secretary-General and the appointment of the next one an act of greater importance, given that the person chosen must possess the qualities of independence, integrity, competence and courage to build consensus, uphold the Charter, promote conflict prevention, lead the necessary reforms and seek solutions to address the organization's financial crisis.
The Republic of Angola reaffirms its commitment to the United Nations, convinced that only at the level of these institution will it be possible to safeguard the achievements of the recent decades in terms of respect for international law.
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Mongolia · Day 1Khurelsukh UkhnaaMangoe shares the view expressed by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his annual report on the work of the organization that, in a world marked by turbulence, division and uncertainty, the United Nations is more necessary than ever.
Hence, Mongolia underscores the tangible progress made under Secretary-General's UN80 initiative to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the United Nations in response to the challenges of our time and reaffirms its active support for this initiative.
The effectiveness of the United Nations, the decisiveness of its actions, and the ability of nations to unite their efforts will ultimately depend upon us, the Member States.
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Suriname · Day 1Jennifer Geerlings-SimonsMr. President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, Finally, as the UN, the United Nations, approaches change in its highest leadership, current realities and approved mandates require the next Secretary-General to portray strong commitment to multilateralism, dialogue, and the rule of law.
Many capable candidates, including women leaders, who have taken up the challenge have been put forth.
And for the first time in history, we have a female candidate from the Caribbean.
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Sierra Leone · Day 1Julius Maada BioMr. President, The choice of the next Secretary-General offers another test of institutional effectiveness and equality.
In 80 years, every Secretary-General has been a man.
The women put forward for this office have placed their competence beyond dispute.
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Trinidad and Tobago · Day 1Kamla Persad-BissessarMr. President, as the UN begins its search for its next Secretary-General, I take this opportunity to convey our deepest appreciation to His Excellency Antonio Guterres, whose term as the ninth Secretary-General of the UN concludes at the end of this year.
Secretary-General Guterres will be well remembered for leading this organization through a period of extraordinary global strain, and for advancing important initiatives on UN reform, climate change, superintelligence and the risks posed by nuclear weapons.
We also recognise some of the important initiatives advanced during his tenure, including the UN 80 Initiative efforts to achieve greater gender parity in senior UN leadership positions, and his efforts to bring superintelligence and the risks posed by nuclear weapons more firmly into the international agenda.
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Croatia · Day 1Andrej PlenkovićWhen the Council is blocked, the General Assembly can and must act, but it cannot replace the Council's primary responsibility under the Charter.
This makes the selection of the next Secretary-General all the more relevant.
I thank, therefore, Secretary-General Guterres for his work over the last decade.
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Burundi · Day 2Évariste NdayishimiyePresident, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, As part of this process of reform, strengthening and consolidation of our organization, Burundi also wishes to contribute to the debate on the selection process for the next Secretary-General of the United Nations.
In the current international context, marked by deep geopolitical divisions and growing challenges to multilateralism, This process must be conducted in a spirit of transparency, openness, and collective responsibility.
Burundi believes that this process must be based above all on qualifications, experience, integrity, independence of judgment, diplomatic skill, and the ability to bring together the positions of all member states.
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Czechia · Day 2Petr PavelAnd they also matter in the Middle East, in Sudan, or DRC.
The current developments in Yemen and Saudi Arabia demonstrate what happens when rules give way to force and coercion, when might replaces right, and how a regional conflict can, in an instant, have consequences for the entire world.
Ladies and gentlemen, as Secretary-General Antonio Guterres nears the end of his mandate, We commend his efforts to reform and modernize the United Nations.
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Estonia · Day 2Alar KarisThis year, the United Nations is set to make arguably one of its most consequential decisions, the selection and appointment of its next Secretary-General.
As an active member of the accountability, coherence and transparency group, Estonia has stood for transparent, fair and inclusive process.
At this challenging time for the organization, we need a strong and principled leader with an impeccable track record in championing and upholding international law, human rights and the principles of a charter.
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Panama · Day 2José Raúl Mulino QuinteroWe are at a turning point in our history.
The election of the next Secretary-General will be of paramount importance to determine the next agenda, to ensure robust, lasting trust, of course, in the understanding of the new global balance, if you can call it that.
That is why we believe that the war in Ukraine must end.
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Kenya · Day 2William Samoei RutoMr. Secretary-General, as you approach the conclusion of your stewardship of this great organization, Africa recognizes your steadfast advocacy for a fairer international financial architecture, greater African representation, and a stronger voice for the Global South.
You have reminded the world that dignity, equality, and representation are not favors, but principles to be upheld.
And perhaps the greatest tribute to your stewardship will be to turn the reforms you championed into reality.
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Mozambique · Day 2Daniel Francisco ChapoToday, in the process of the national dialogue.
Thank you so much, UN.
The trust of Mozambique is a result of a living memory of the Mozambican people.
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Andorra · Day 2Xavier Espot ZamoraBut the most important reform is to ensure that this organization remains a space where states not only defend their legitimate interests, but are also capable of exercising a shared responsibility to address the great challenges facing humanity, and above all, continue to believe that what unites us is stronger than what divides us.
I would like to also offer a few words of recognition to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Since 2017, he has exercised his mandate during one of the most difficult and uncertain periods the international community has known, consistently defending the principles of the UN Charter and reminding us, even when it seemed most difficult, that multilateralism remains the best hope for preserving peace and cooperation among peoples, as well as human dignity.
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Democratic Republic of the Congo · Day 2Judith Suminwa Tulukain order to make the Council more representative, more legitimate, and ultimately more effective.
This need for representation goes hand in hand with a need for responsibility, and it is in this spirit that the DRC intends to fully exercise its responsibility when it comes to choosing the next Secretary-General.
whose mandate ought to be part of the transformation of our organization and help adapt it to the priorities of a world in profound evolution.
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Italy · Day 2Antonio TajaniToo often, this organization appears powerless.
For far too long, its reform has been held back by competing interests.
Italy wants a Security Council that is more legitimate, more representative, and more accountable to all member states.
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Comoros · Day 3Azali AssoumaniAs he prepares to hand over the leadership of our organization, and an international context marked by tension and uncertainty, I extend my best wishes to his successor.
At a time when confidence in international institutions is declining, and they're often perceived as favoring power politics over law, Our organization must rise above partisan interests.
God willing, the next leadership will embody unity and the renewal of a more credible multilateralism, and this will have the full support of the Comoros.
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Côte d’Ivoire · Day 3Tiémoko Meyliet Konéeffectively.
In light of these challenges, a monumental task awaits the next Secretary-General of the United Nations, whose selection process is now well underway.
Cote d'Ivoire hopes that this process will result in the appointment of a figure of the highest caliber, whose moral values, independence of mind, diplomatic experience, and commitment to dialogue will enable the United Nations to pursue with ambition and effectiveness its mission in the service of peace, development, and solidarity among nations.
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Thailand · Day 3Anutin CharnvirakulThey are already at the forefront of this organization's work from development to peacekeeping.
As the UN considers its next Secretary General, maybe it is time that this representation be reflected at the highest level.
Representation and effectiveness must advance together.
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Netherlands (Kingdom of the) · Day 3Rob JettenBecause what she wrote is true.
We have everything we need to change the world for the better, and we don't have to wait another minute.
We aren't starting from scratch.
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Ireland · Day 3Micheál MartinThe Paris Agreement remains a powerful example of what can be achieved when countries work together.
Secretary Guterres has been a vital voice in calling member states to action.
We look forward to working with the next Secretary-General in advancing the Charter's principles and strengthening this institution.
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Monaco · Day 4Christophe MirmandIn the same vein, the Principality is in favour of a reform of the Security Council to make it more representative to today's realities, while also preserving its ability to act.
And we're also in favour of the revitalization of this General Assembly, the house of equality between states.
This session will also see the election of the next Secretary General of the organization.
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Solomon Islands · Day 4Matthew Cooper WaleThe UN is not perfect, but it remains the cornerstone of multilateral diplomacy and the indispensable platform through which nations preserve peace, advance sustainable development, uphold international law, and protect human rights.
Solomon Islands looks to the next Secretary-General to lead with vision and to ensure that the Secretariat is accountable to all Member States, serving the interests of small and large States on an equal footing.
Mr. President, Solomon Islands reiterates its support for comprehensive reform of the Security Council to make it more representative, transparent, accountable, and reflective of today's realities.
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Saint Lucia · Day 4Philip J. PierreIn the same vein, Saint Lucia wishes to express his endorsement of the candidate of the for the post of Secretary-General.
Her distinguished record of public and international service speaks directly to the kind of leadership this moment demands.
On 25 March 2026, the General Assembly approved one of its most historic and consequential resolutions that declared the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialized chattel enslavement of Africans as the greatest crime against humanity.
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Tonga · Day 4Lord FakafanuaInternationally, pledged commitments must be actioned urgently.
The next Secretary-General must understand these realities intimately.
It is in this spirit that Tonga has nominated Ambassador Yvonne Baki of Ecuador, whose vision for a renewed, reformed United Nations speaks to the needs of vulnerable States.
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Saint Kitts and Nevis · Day 4Geoffrey HanleySaint Kate Sanivis proudly joins Caricom in endorsing her excellency.
Carolina Rodriguez Birket of Guyana for the office of the United Nations Secretary General.
Her understanding of the challenges facing developing nations reflect the leadership this moment demands.
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Kazakhstan · Day 4Mukhtar TileuberdiBroader representation of Asia, Africa, and Latin America in the Council, as well as greater voice for developing countries and for middle powers, is a moral imperative.
Equitable geographical representation must apply throughout the United Nations system as a condition of legitimacy and credibility.
The selection of the next Secretary-General will be one of the defining moments of this session.
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Mexico · Day 4Roberto Velasco ÁlvarezThis renewal also reaches the leadership of this organization because soon we will have a new person at the helm of the UN Secretariat and Mexico would like to be crystal clear on this.
At the United Nations, it is also time for women.
Alfonso Reyes, diplomat and humanist, left Mexico taught Mexico rather a lesson that today we'd like to bring to this assembly.
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China · Day 5Han ZhengChina supports the election in accordance with the UN Charter of a new Secretary-General who honors the UN Charter, has exceptional capability, upholds integrity and fairness, and demonstrates courage and dedication.
Mr. President, colleagues, On October 25, 1971, right here in this August Hall, the General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 at its 26th session with an overwhelming majority, by which UNGA decided to restore all the rights of the People's Republic of China in the UN and recognize the representatives of the government of the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate representatives of China to the UN.
This is of profound and far-reaching significance for both China and the world.
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Russian Federation · Day 5Sergey LavrovThe objectives of our special military operation will be achieved and threats to our security will be eliminated.
Peace will reign again.
This will happen despite anything that might happen, including the inability of the current leadership of the UN to espouse the only correct position in this situation surrounding Ukraine, a position of defending the principles enshrined in the UN Charter as a whole, in full, in their interrelated nature.
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Iceland · Day 5Thorgerdur Katrín GunnarsdóttirMadam President, the United Nations' next Secretary-General must continue reforming this organization, make difficult choices, and direct resources where they make the greatest difference.
That will require courage from her.
And so will the choices made by...
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India · Day 5Subrahmanyam JaishankarWe will soon bid farewell to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
India deeply values his many contributions, in particular his personal support for mission life.
Mr. President, at the conclusion of this General Debate, we hope that all participating delegations leave with a greater commitment to peace, to development and to prosperity.
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Tunisia · Day 5Mohamed Ali NaftiMr. Guterres faced with courage and dedication unprecedented global crises.
He leaves behind a significant legacy of committed diplomacy and principled positions that we shall continue to remember.
At this critical historical juncture, for the United Nations, we look forward with great hope to the selection, through the process of electing the new Secretary-General, of the most capable and deserving individual to lead the Organization with a bold strategic vision, building upon the efforts of his predecessor and capable of providing practical solutions for the various regions whose peoples continue to suffer the consequences of crises, wars, instability and inequality.
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Djibouti · Day 5Abdoulkader Houssein OmarFinally, we are following very closely the process to identify the most qualified person to serve as the next Secretary-General of the UN.
That selection must be guided by competence, professional integrity and unequivocal commitment to respect for international law and the ability rigorously to implement the reforms on which Member States have collectively agreed.
Thank you.
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Canada · Day 5Anita AnandBut the UN is not and must not be a static organization.
While the UN is experiencing major changes, we should ensure that it is ready for the future.
We would like to thank Mr. Antonio Guterres for his efforts over the past decade.
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