– As delivered –

Remarks by H.E. Mr. Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly

11 June 2021

Excellencies, Mr. President,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the General Assembly as we consider the Annual Report of the United Nations Security Council.

I would like to thank the Estonian Presidency who will present the report to us today, as well as the delegation of Niger for leading the drafting process of the report’s introduction and the Chinese delegation for their efforts to prepare the report during their Presidency.

Excellencies, dear colleagues,

The importance of today’s debate cannot be overstated.

The full membership of the United Nations, through the UN Charter, has conferred on the Security Council the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, one of the three pillars of the United Nations. We agreed that the Security Council will act on our behalf in carrying out its duties.

This meeting today allows us to fulfil two mandates of the Charter:

– Firstly, that the Security Council shall submit to the General Assembly its work report, pursuant to Article 24;

– And secondly, that the Assembly shall consider the report, as stipulated in Article 15.

The submission and consideration of the annual report is about fulfilling a Charter responsibility. And our debate today is critical – it allows us to assess the work that the Council does on our behalf. And it gives us the opportunity to hold the Council to account for its actions and – arguably more importantly – for the occasions where it fails to act.

I commend the members of the Council for presenting the annual report in a timely manner, for the first time in recent history. It is a positive step towards enhancing the Council’s transparency and accountability to the broader membership. I hope this practice continues to ensure more predictability and thus a more deliberate treatment of the report by the General Assembly.

As stipulated in the report, 2020 was marked by many crises and ongoing conflicts across the globe, that required immediate action of the Council. Despite the negative impacts on its work by COVID-19, I welcome the Council’s sustained activity, in both virtual and hybrid format, to discharge its responsibilities. However, I also note with regret, that there are occasions where the Council is divided and unable to rise to the challenge, and so fails to deliver its mandate to maintain international peace and security, with deadly consequences and untold human suffering .

Excellencies, dear colleagues,

In September, as we celebrated the 75th anniversary, global leaders reiterated that the work of the United Nations is more critical than ever, especially in light of the challenges brought on by COVID-19 pandemic. The world is looking to the United Nations for leadership as we build back from COVID-19. For millions around the world, the Security Council is the face and embodiment of the United Nations. Its success or failure to achieve its mandate is seen as the success or failure of the United Nations.  And it is more crucial than ever that our efforts are efficient and effective so that the United Nations, including the Security Council, is fit for purpose, so we can best deliver for those we serve.

The report is only one of many interactions between the Assembly and the Council.  As you know, the Security Council Presidency and I are tasked with bringing forward the process to select and appoint the next Secretary General. Given the critical role that the Secretary General plays in ensuring that this Organization is run as efficiently and effectively as possible, and given that the outside world increasingly expects the highest possible standards from this Organization, I have committed to ensure that the selection and appointment process remains guided by the principles of transparency and inclusivity. I hope the process can be finalized successfully next week when the Membership convenes again for the final decision.

Distinguished delegates, dear colleagues,

I look forward to hearing your views on this year’s Annual report as well as proposals on how best to make it a more useful tool for General Assembly consideration, as we look to continuously improve the interaction between the different Organs of the United Nations.

I thank you.