Opening remarks by Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul at the reception at the German House in support of the candidacy for a non-permanent seat on th...

This summer, competition will be tough and the stakes are high.

Countries have spent years seeking to qualify. The final decision will be made right here in New York City. We can't wait for it to happen. The entire world will be watching.

I am talking, of course, about the Football World Cup.

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a privilege to be with you today at such a remarkable gathering of friends and partners.

We meet at a time when the international order is under severe strain.

Conflicts persist and crises multiply. Trust between states has become more and more fragile.

The war in Iran affects us all, not just the region.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz directly impacts the costs and availability of energy, food and fertilizers around the world.

The consequences are already felt by many of your countries and could be catastrophic. I had the privilege to address this important issue in the Security Council yesterday. Thanks to the Kingdom of Bahrain for organizing this important debate.

The war in Sudan continues to rage with utmost brutality. This is the greatest humanitarian catastrophe of our time!

This heart-breaking crisis requires action.

That is why Germany has just hosted the International Sudan Conference in Berlin, which many of your countries attended.

War is not the only challenge we face. A few months ago, I travelled to the Pacific region and saw the devastating effects of rising sea levels for small island states.

I come from a coastal region in northern Germany, so I am familiar with the implications of rising sea levels. I see them in my own region every day.

And I can assure those whose safety and livelihoods are endangered by climate change: We are, and we remain, at your side. Not just in words, but in deeds.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In this volatile geopolitical environment, the UN is under enormous pressure.

The UN currently faces a budgetary crisis, a mistrust in multilateralism, and a lack of respect for international law.

Germany is ready to take on even more responsibility as a strong, reliable and independent voice in the United Nations.

That is the foundation of Germany's candidacy to the UN Security Council for 2027 / 2028.

Germany brings a lot to the table:

Above all, unwavering commitment to the UN Charter and international law. We believe in diplomacy and dialogue.

And we use our convening power to bring together those who can jointly find solutions - as demonstrated by our engagement for Sudan and Libya, for the Pact for Future, in our chairmanship of the Peacebuilding Commission and at the Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin last year.

We also have a track record of reliable political commitment and major contributions to the entire UN system over the past 50 years.

Germany is currently the biggest donor of ODA worldwide and the second biggest contributor to the UN system as a whole.

We have ample experience as an elected member of the Security Council. And we would use it to hit the ground running.

In past tenures we took the lead on several Council files shaping the Council's work from the Western Balkans to the Middle East and Africa. We championed the Council's work on WPS and Climate and Security.

If elected, we want to use our experience to bring together the elected members in order to help overcome deadlock in the Council.

Our global network of embassies, our presence on the ground, our close and continuous dialogue with you enables us to understand your perspectives. We will work on solutions with you and for you.

We believe that any major challenge for any UN member state, big or small, deserves our joint attention and solidarity. We support roadmaps to control small arms and light weapons in the Caribbean and West Africa, cooperation on border management programmes with the African Union, and the International Climate Initiative, through which we support projects around the world that tackle the impact of climate change and increase resilience.

But most importantly:

You know us. You know how we work. How we nourish our partnerships. What we stand for.

We are convinced that global challenges can only be solved together.

And we respectfully ask for your support on 3 June.

There is one more thing the election for the Council and the World Cup have in common: We hope to win!