Director-General's remarks at the Seminar on Global Governance

“Equality, Rule-of-Law, Coordination, Inclusiveness and Action” Seminar on Global Governance
Tuesday, 24 February 2026 at 10.00 a.m.
Tempus, Palais des Nations

Excellencies,
Dear colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Palais des Nations today for this timely discussion on global governance. Let me begin by sincerely thanking Ambassador Jia and his colleagues at the Permanent Mission of China, as well as Mr. Fu Hua, President of the Xinhua News Agency, for organizing this important gathering.  

Global governance, at its core, is about ensuring that power is exercised within a framework of law, that disputes are resolved through dialogue rather than force, and that human dignity remains at the center of international action.

Today we come together in a time of – and let me borrow from the words of the Secretary-General – chaos. Our world is marked by conflict, impunity, inequality and unpredictability. Geopolitical tensions are rising. Trust between nations is eroding. Climate disruption is accelerating. In such a context, the very idea of global governance can appear fragile.

And yet, it is precisely when global governance is under fire that we need it most. In moments like these, we must return to the principles underpinning our system of global governance: the United Nations Charter. Adopted eight decades ago, the Charter was both born out of turbulent times and designed to withstand them. It remains the foundation of international relations and the bedrock of peace, sustainable development and human rights. It binds us all, without exception. We cannot invoke it selectively, nor defend it only when convenient. Its strength lies in its universality and in our collective commitment to uphold it fully and faithfully.

At the same time, while the United Nations remains the only place where all the world’s nations can gather to address common problems and find shared solutions, the global context has significantly changed since 1945. The international community must - and can - do better. We need an updated system of international cooperation that is fairer, more inclusive, and more effective.

In this regard, we welcome the various contributions from Member States aimed at strengthening multilateralism, including China’s Global Governance Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping in September 2025, which underscores the importance of dialogue, development, and mutually beneficial cooperation within a rules based international order.

In 2024, world leaders met in New York at the Summit of the Future and adopted the Pact for the Future to transform global governance. This was the culmination of an inclusive, years-long process to adapt international cooperation – including the United Nations itself – to the realities of today and the challenges of tomorrow.

The Pact for the Future is the vision, and the UN80 reform initiative is the pathway to take us there. The United Nations Secretary-General launched the UN80 initiative last March with the aim of making the United Nations more agile, integrated and better equipped to handle the complex global issues of the twenty-first century. UN80 is about ensuring that the United Nations, which underpins our system of global governance, remains relevant in a rapidly changing world. In the words of the Secretary-General: “We cannot create a future fit for our grandchildren with systems built for our grandparents”.

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is particularly appropriate that today’s meeting on global governance is taking place here in Geneva. As a hub of multilateral diplomacy, Geneva brings together Member States, international organizations, civil society, academia and the private sector. Here, norms are negotiated, partnerships are forged, and global responses are shaped. International Geneva is not merely a meeting place; it is global governance in action.

As you listen to speakers and share ideas and experiences with each other today, I encourage you to reflect not only on the challenges before us, but also on the responsibility we share. Global governance is not an abstract system operating somewhere beyond us. It is shaped by our choices, our commitments and our willingness to act in solidarity.

When the waters are rough, we do not abandon the ship of cooperation; instead, we strengthen it — broadening its reach, reinforcing its integrity, and steering it with determination, guided by the principles that have long illuminated our path.

I wish you thoughtful deliberations and constructive exchanges.

Thank you.