Director-General's remarks at the Special Event “The Future of Multilateralism: Permanent Observers’ Perspectives”

Special Event “The Future of Multilateralism: Permanent Observers’ Perspectives”
Monday, 27 October 2025, at 10.00 a.m. 
Room IX, Palais des Nations

Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Palais des Nations for today’s special event on “The Future of Multilateralism: Permanent Observers’ Perspectives”. I wish to sincerely thank the Permanent Observers to the United Nations in Geneva who took the initiative to organize this important gathering. 

This year, as we commemorate the 80^th anniversary of the United Nations, we are presented with a moment for both celebration and reflection. We mark eight decades of multilateral achievements – of building peace, advancing human rights and promoting development. At the same time, we must recognize that the world today is very different from the one the founders envisioned in 1945.

We face a complex landscape: from climate crisis and digital transformation to deep social inequalities and geopolitical tensions. These challenges remind us why the United Nations – and the broader multilateral system – remains essential. They also invite us to ask: what kind of multilateralism do we need for the next 80 years?

The Pact for the Future, adopted last year, provides an important answer. It calls for a renewed multilateralism – one that is more inclusive, more networked and more effective. A system that bridges global ambitions with local realities, amplifies diverse voices and restores trust in international cooperation. The UN80 initiative complements this vision by galvanizing reflection and action across generations, reaffirming the centrality of solidarity and dialogue as engines of renewal for the multilateral system.

For such a vision to succeed, multilateralism must be open – to governments, regional and other international organizations, civil society, academia, the private sector and young people. From the outset, Chapter VIII of the UN Charter recognized the important role of regional arrangements and organizations in maintaining international peace and security.

Today, that vision has only grown in relevance. In today’s interconnected landscape, regional and other international organizations have become indispensable partners. Beyond contributions to peace and security, they serve as essential brokers and catalysts - bridging Member States and civil society, linking normative frameworks with operational realities. In many ways, these organizations, including those represented here today, make multilateralism work in practice.

Many of you deliver humanitarian assistance faster than political consensus can be reached within the UN. Others monitor, document and mediate – often quietly, yet with lasting impact. You build bridges of understanding before crises reach the global stage. This contribution strengthens the legitimacy and reach of the UN system, ensuring that no one is left behind and that every voice can be heard. 

And nowhere is this more tangible than here in International Geneva - a hub where regional, subregional and other international organizations, along with UN entities, humanitarian and human rights actors, come together to collaborate and innovate. Geneva offers a unique ecosystem where political, technical, and normative expertise meet. It is here that global norms take shape, and where regional and thematic perspectives are woven into the fabric of multilateral policy.

Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

As the UN Secretary-General recently noted: “Peace is the most courageous, the most practical, the most necessary pursuit of all”[1]. This message resonates profoundly as we mark eight decades of the United Nations. The challenges ahead – from conflict and climate change to inequality and digital insecurity – require not only courage and conviction, but also collaboration and inclusion. 

Let this meeting serve as an invitation - to Member States, to UN entities, and to all other actors of International Geneva - to remember that meaningful multilateralism is not defined by voting rights, but by impact.

Thank you.