Opening the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), President Annalena Baerbock declared, on September 9, 2025, the gathering to be “no ordinary” session, emphasizing that the UN is more vital than ever in addressing today’s mounting global crises. Among the session’s key priorities will be the selection of the next Secretary-General.
At the General Debate, set for September 23–27 and September 29 in the UN General Assembly Hall, world leaders will present their priorities and positions amid today’s complex global challenges. GA President Annalena Baerbock has framed the session under the theme “Better Together,” stressing unity, solidarity, and collective action. On September 22, there will be a High-level Meeting to Commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the United Nations, where the world leaders will participate.
Speaking at the first plenary meeting, Baerbock underscored the unique role of the UN: “This remains the only organization capable of bringing together every country in the world. The only one capable of acting on a truly global scale. The only one with worldwide political legitimacy and moral authority. Yes, our world is in pain. Indeed. But imagine how much more pain there would be without the United Nations.”
Reflecting on the organization’s 80th anniversary, Baerbock questioned whether there was reason to celebrate amid ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises. “Can we celebrate while parents in Gaza are watching their children starve? While Afghan girls are banned from school, prevented from having a normal childhood? While grandfathers in Kharkiv are sheltering in bathtubs, fearful of drones and missiles? While women in Darfur are hiding their daughters from being raped? While Pacific islanders are watching seas rise and waves lap against their homes?”
She cited stark figures: 808 million people still live in extreme poverty, struggling to feed their families. Against this backdrop, she asked: “Where is the United Nations, which was created to save us from hell?”
Baerbock insisted that the institution must remain steadfast: “Our answer must be clear: We are not giving up. We are here. We see you. Even when we face setbacks and frustrations. When diplomacy fails us and consensus eludes us. We will unite to deliver for the people of the world. We will unite to defend the principles of this institution.”
Highlighting the UN’s global impact, she noted that in the past year alone UNICEF reached 26 million children with education, the World Food Programme provided life-saving assistance to nearly 125 million people, the UN Refugee Agency and the International Organization for Migration delivered aid to over 62 million, and WHO supported 70 million people with mental health services. Even the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), she said, ensured the safety of nearly 5 billion airline passengers.
Quoting a well-known adage, “If the UN did not exist, we would have to invent it” Baerbock reminded delegates “Thankfully, we do not have to invent it. Our grandmothers and grandfathers did just that, for us. Our job today – 80 years later – is to keep it alive, to strengthen it, and to make it fit for the 21st century.”
She framed this year as a time to “adapt, evolve, and build” the UN for the next 80 years, stressing the need to implement reforms beyond cost-cutting and to ensure effectiveness. Building on the Pact for the Future, she urged member states to embrace processes that can “reshape and reinvigorate” the UN to deliver on peace, security, sustainable development, and human rights.
On the upcoming selection of the next Secretary-General, Baerbock underscored the symbolism of the choice: “The Member States’ choice will send a powerful message about who we are, and whether we truly serve all the peoples of the world, of which, everywhere in the world, half are women and girls.” She also questioned why, in 80 years, no woman has ever served as Secretary-General.
Reiterating that the 80th session represents a crossroads, she said: “We stand at a crossroads, a make-OR-break moment,” calling on member states to summon the “will and ambition” to turn promises into measurable progress.
Baerbock pledged impartiality in her role: “As I stand here today and open the 80th session, I commit to serving each of the 193 Member States of this Organization equally. I will be impartial, a bridge builder, guided by only one thing – our United Nations Charter. It will be my North Star. I will always act with the belief that we are, truly, better together. As such, my door will always be open.”
She expressed gratitude to her predecessor Philemon Yang, praising his “patience, wisdom, and steady leadership” during the 79th session.
The theme for this session, “Better Together: Eighty Years and More for Peace, Development, and Human Rights,” underscores the need for unity at a time of growing division. Baerbock reminded member states of collective achievements such as the Paris Agreement, the 2030 Agenda, and the Pact for the Future, urging them to build on past lessons: “It requires courage to stand up. Courage to seize the processes already under way.”
Reminding the Assembly that eight billion people around the world continue to look to the UN’s blue flag as a source of hope, the President added that it is now up to this generation to prove that faith is not misplaced.
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