Vision Statement of PGA-candidate H.E. Annalena Baerbock

[as presented to all member states, 30 April 2025]

Eighty years ago, the United Nations was founded to rally the world behind a shared vision of peace and cooperation.

Eighty years – longer than the average human lifetime.

Even if our ways of living may differ, every person on this planet shares the same aspirations for their life: to live free from poverty, to keep one’s family safe from conflict and violence – no matter where one hails from. Because humanity is indivisible.

Around the globe, the United Nations is the face of this humanity. It saves lives. It prevents conflicts and it helps end violence. It promotes freedom, development, human rights and a healthy planet.

In this spirit, the Preamble of the Charter of the United Nations underlines the “equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small” – a cornerstone of the international order.

However, on its eightieth anniversary, the multilateral system, with the United Nations at its core, is under massive pressure, both politically and financially. The heart of this system, the General Assembly, cannot afford to stand still. We cannot afford to be driven apart by self-interest and distrust. In my view, we need to adapt the way in which we respond to the challenges of our lifetime to today’s realities. Together.

We need to join efforts to forge a better future for all. In doing so, the Charter of the United Nations will remain the bedrock of our collective aspirations and our joint work.

As the General Assembly, the world’s most representative body, we bear a shared responsibility to protect our past achievements, to address current global issues, and to adapt to future challenges. During my term as President of the General Assembly, if elected, I commit to act in this endeavour as an honest broker here in New York, working transparently and inclusively. I will engage in trust-based dialogue with all Member States to build consensus, so that the United Nations can deliver for present and future generations.

Better together: focus, reform and transparency at the United Nations

In the face of unprecedented challenges, the time for action is now.

It is my humble assessment that there is a growing sentiment among Member States on the need to focus the work of the United Nations, implementing the many important decisions and mandates that we are already entrusted with.

For this, the United Nations requires adequate funding, as well as effective and efficient structures, with better coordination and without duplication. I will put a strong focus on promoting reforms, in close coordination with the Secretary-General’s UN80 Initiative and in partnership with all Member States. The General Assembly, where all Member States have a seat and a voice, should deliberate on how our Organization can best make decisions that benefit all.

We should not refrain from bold thinking across the entire United Nations system to make the Organization focused, fit-for-purpose and capable of realizing its core objectives, in line with its founding principles. The Pact for the Future is our blueprint for the actions we need to take in order to deliver a better future for humanity. Its implementation will be at the core of my presidency, building on the agenda set forth by my predecessors.

A strong United Nations in challenging times requires dedicated leadership.

During the eightieth session of the General Assembly, the United Nations is to select its next Secretary-General. To me, it will be of utmost importance to organize the selection process, in line with General Assembly resolutions, building on past best practices. Transparency and inclusiveness will be my guiding principles.

Better together: a United Nations that delivers on peace, sustainability and justice

The Charter of the United Nations gives the General Assembly a central role in the quest to build and sustain lasting peace. This is and will remain a fundamental priority.

To me, it is crucial to further strengthen this role in close collaboration with the Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission, while fostering innovative partnerships for peace. Sustainable peace can only be achieved when everyone is involved. Humanity is indivisible.

I will therefore pay special attention to the full, equal, safe and meaningful participation of women and young people in all peace efforts. The twenty-fifth anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) presents a timely opportunity to advance the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda. Because where women are not safe, no one is safe.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an important pillar to build a more just and sustainable world. I stand ready to help facilitate progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including advancing socioeconomic development and eradicating poverty, objectives that faced significant setbacks during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The World Summit for Social Development will be an opportunity for world leaders to foster inclusive social development.

I will do my utmost to help advance the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in close cooperation with the Economic and Social Council and other relevant players. A strong outcome and follow-up to the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, including support for the reform of the international financial architecture, will be key to achieving this objective. Because our financial institutions have to reflect the realities of the twenty-first century.

In order to make our world more just and secure, we need to strengthen our resolve in fighting the climate crisis. The climate crisis knows no borders. No country can hide from its consequences. With every tenth of a degree that temperatures rise, our world grows more dangerous, particularly for the most vulnerable States, and more people will be forced to leave the place they call home.

If we do not act now, we will have much higher costs to deal with in the future. But the opposite is also true. If we join forces to contain the biggest security crisis of this century, we can also boost growth and development around the world. Better together.

As President of the General Assembly, I will make sure that the Assembly retains its role as a body in which both sustainable development and climate justice are being brought forward.

We know that security, sustainable development and human rights are interlinked. Respect for international law, international human rights law and international humanitarian law is essential for a world in which every human can live in peace and dignity. Therefore, fostering justice and accountability should remain priorities of the General Assembly’s work.

Digital and emerging technologies are dramatically changing our lives. We must embrace their potential across all three pillars of the United Nations, while ensuring that such technologies are safe, secure and trustworthy. I will push to bridge digital divides by supporting capacity-building and universal access so that everyone can participate in the digital space.

Better together: in a United Nations that embraces everyone

The General Assembly is the place where all nations come together, where every country has a seat and a voice. These diverse perspectives are our strength. Time and again, we have seen that the work of the Assembly improves when decisions are based on a wide range of inputs and broad consultations. This approach – while sometimes exhausting – will be my guiding star, bearing in mind the critical role played by civil society, science and research, and other stakeholders. I will pay particular attention to youth voices and their interests, because building a better future is only possible by engaging with the generations to come.

To ensure that the General Assembly is a truly global forum, multilingualism will remain a vital concern during my term.

I am committed to building a table that seats everyone, recalling that our Organization can only continue to fulfil its promises by striving to include everyone in all endeavours.

As we mark the eightieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, I pledge to work with all Member States to build a strong, focused and inclusive United Nations.

Guided by our Charter, which lays out the “equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small”.

Striving to forge a better future for all. Together.

Annalena Baerbock – My candidature for the post of President of the General Assembly of the United Nations at its eightieth session

I thank the members of the Group of Western European and Other States for supporting my candidature. I am grateful to all – and I mean all – who have lent me their ears and shared their perspectives in preparing this vision for my Presidency.

The eightieth session of the General Assembly will be one that stands out. This anniversary reminds us of the vision of the founding mothers and fathers of the United Nations: the belief that the power of the law must prevail over the power of the mighty; the belief that working together is better than competing for limited resources; the belief that all humans are equal and all States sovereign.

My aspiration for this presidency is to build bridges over the gaps that divide us. To listen to all voices in the General Assembly. To rebuild the trust and consensus that is needed to advance our shared agenda.

I have dedicated my political career to working across political trenches to find solutions for global challenges, from the prevention of conflict and violence to the climate crisis.

I have always put people at the centre of my endeavours. It is my deep conviction that diplomacy requires the ability to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes, to understand the motives, aspirations and worries of our interlocutors. Only then will we be able to work together to improve people’s lives.

As the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, I have been a strong advocate for international cooperation, for multilateral diplomacy, and for expanding partnerships to achieve common objectives.

In more than 10 years as an elected Member of the German Parliament, I have worked on a wide range of policy issues, from foreign policy to energy security and social justice. And throughout my career, I have been passionate about finding global answers to the climate crisis, both on a national level and in the context of international climate negotiations at the United Nations climate change conferences.

I am eager to put my dedication and experience at the service of the General Assembly and all Member States of the United Nations, in order to advance global peace, development and human rights.

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