EU Statement – UN General Assembly: Revitalization of the GA

EU Statement - UN General Assembly: Revitalization of the GA

5 March 2026, New York - Statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States delivered by Daniel Prada Jiménez de Cisneros, Attaché, European Union Delegation to the United Nations, at the UN General Assembly Working Group on the Strengthening and Revitalizing of the Work of the General Assembly

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Chairs, Excellencies, colleagues,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The European Union welcomes this dedicated thematic debate of the Working Group and thanks the Co-Chairs for convening this discussion.

On cluster 3 of Resolution 79/327, the European Union remains firmly committed to a selection and appointment process for the Secretary-General that is transparent, inclusive, and guided by the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, as well as a strong commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter. This Resolution was agreed by consensus and is the product of a delicate compromise. Its provisions must be strictly interpreted and implemented: all of the resolution, nothing but the resolution. In the 80-year of the United Nations, no woman has ever served as Secretary-General.

Nous saluons le lancement opportun du processus actuel par la lettre conjointe des Présidents de l'Assemblée générale et du Conseil de sécurité, ainsi que l'appel à candidatures et les prochains dialogues interactifs avec les candidats. Nous prenons note de la lettre la plus récente de la Présidente de l'Assemblée Générale précisant les modalités des dialogues interactifs qui se tiendront en mois d'avril, y compris leur format de trois heures. Nous nous félicitons de l'application équitable à tous les candidats, de la structure thématique autour des trois piliers des Nations Unies et de l'inclusion de la société civile. Nous soulignons que le paragraphe opérationnel 42 (g) fournit le cadre pour la tenue à la fois d'engagements individuels permettant la présentation des déclarations de vision et de dialogues interactifs conjoints avec les candidats.

Nous saluons également les efforts visant à maintenir une page web dédiée et accessible au public des Nations Unies contenant les déclarations de vision, curricula vitae et informations sur le financement des candidats. Nous insistons sur l'impératif de diffuser les nominations et les documents de soutien dans les six langues officielles dès leur soumission. Pour que le processus soit inclusif, il doit être multilingue.

Le prochain Secrétaire général des Nations Unies doit faire preuve de leadership et défendre la coopération multilatérale ainsi que le droit international en ces temps difficiles pour le multilatéralisme. Il est essentiel que l'organisation poursuive les réformes indispensables du système des Nations Unies afin d'assurer une ONU pertinente, coordonnée et efficace, capable de produire des résultats concrets au niveau des pays.

We welcome the timely initiation of the current process through the joint letter of the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Security Council, as well as the call for candidacies and the upcoming interactive dialogues with candidates. We take note of the most recent letter from the PGA setting out the modalities for the interactive dialogues to be held in April, including their three-hour format. We welcome the equal application to all candidates, thematic structure around the three pillars of the United Nations, and the inclusion of civil society. We stress that OP 42 (g) provides the framework for conducting both individual engagements to offer the opportunity to present the vision statements, as well as joint interactive dialogues with the candidates.

We commend the efforts to maintain a dedicated and publicly accessible United Nations webpage containing candidates' vision statements, curricula vitae and financing disclosures. We insist on the imperative to disseminate the nominations and supporting documentation in all six official languages as rapidly as possible after their submission. For the process to be inclusive, it needs to be multilingual.

The next Secretary-General of the United Nations must show leadership and stand up for multilateral cooperation and international law in a challenging time for multilateralism. It is vital that the organization continues with essential reforms of the UN system, to ensure a relevant, coordinated and effective UN that delivers tangible results at country level.

En última instancia, y de conformidad con el Artículo 97 de la Carta, el Secretario General será designado por la Asamblea General a recomendación del Consejo de Seguridad. Es fundamental que el proceso concluya de manera oportuna, incluyendo la toma de posesión del Secretario General designado con suficiente antelación al inicio del nuevo mandato, para garantizar una transición efectiva.

En cuanto al eje 4 de la resolución sobre la Oficina de la Presidencia de la Asamblea General, subrayamos el papel cada vez más exigente de dicha Presidencia en el apoyo a la eficacia y el éxito del trabajo de la Asamblea. Lamentamos que solo cinco mujeres hayan ocupado este cargo y hacemos eco del llamamiento a abordar el persistente desequilibrio de género en las nominaciones.

Reconocemos el importante apoyo brindado por los Estados Miembros a la Oficina del PGA, incluyendo contribuciones voluntarias, retiros anuales y formaciones, el apoyo de la Secretaría en asistencia administrativa, así como el valor del Programa de Becas del PGA.

Ultimately, and in accordance with Article 97 of the Charter, the Secretary-General shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. A timely conclusion of the process, including the swearing-in of the Secretary-General-designate sufficiently in advance of the new term, remains essential to ensure an effective transition.

Turning to cluster 4 and the Office of the President of the General Assembly, we underline the increasingly demanding role of the President in supporting the effectiveness and success of the Assembly's work. We regret that only five women have held this position and echo the call to address the persistent gender imbalance in nominations.

We acknowledge the important support provided by Member States to the Office of the PGA, including through voluntary contributions, annual retreats, and trainings, and of the Secretariat on administrative assistance, as well as the value of the PGA Fellowship Programme.

Muchas gracias.