New York, 24 September, 2025

Your Excellency Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80^th General Assembly;

Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore; 

Your Excellencies; Dear Colleagues;

Good morning. 

I wish to thank our host, Singapore, for convening this important meeting and for ensuring diversity in the global governance debate.

As the United Nations turns 80, the promise of multilateralism remains within reach. The crises of recent years have shown us that multilateralism is not an option, but a necessity.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we witnessed what is possible when nations mobilize and coordinate on an unprecedented scale.

That same spirit should now guide us as we confront the threat of climate change, with the upcoming COP30 in Brazil offering a precious opportunity for action.

Multilateralism must also go hand-in-hand with a fair and rules-based international order, where all nations operate on equal footing. Without this, double standards take root, and the very foundations of our cooperation begin to erode.

Yet, the rooms where global decisions are made still lack fair representation. As long as entire regions remain excluded, global governance will remain global in name only.

Rwanda has therefore consistently called for reform of the Security Council, so that it reflects today’s realities rather than the world of 1945.

We also advocate for the reform of the international financial architecture, which continues to convey a disproportionately high perception of risk in the Global South. 

This continues to limit investment and raise borrowing costs for our industries and private sector.

In sum, the strength of our organization in the next eight decades will depend on how we harness multilateralism to meet the challenges before us. 

I thank you.