“An Unusual Meeting”: Baerbock Kicks Off UN General Assembly with Plea for Bravery and Transformation

The upcoming session will be “unprecedented,” she affirmed, amid overlapping crises and heightened discord within the multilateral system.

A former foreign minister of Germany, Ms. Baerbock is set to become only the fifth woman in history to preside over the General Assembly.

In a symbolic gesture connecting the past with the present, she took her oath on the UN’s founding Charter from the 1945 San Francisco Conference and accepted the Assembly’s ornate gavel from her predecessor, Philémon Yang of Cameroon.

The Charter, preserved by the US National Archives, has made its first return to UN Headquarters in decades.

On display through September, the 1945 document stands as more than just a piece of history—it’s a living testament to the collective commitment to build peace, uphold human rights, and pursue shared values and goals through multilateral cooperation.

The gavel itself carries significant history. Gifted by Iceland, it’s more elaborate and imposing than standard UN meeting gavels. As the emblem of order in the “world’s parliament,” it is used to open and close meetings, adopt resolutions, and sometimes bring the Assembly to a standstill.

The world needs the United Nations

In her address, Ms. Baerbock recognized the dire realities faced globally—from children in Gaza and Afghan girls denied education to families in Ukraine fleeing missile strikes, and Pacific Islanders seeing their homes threaten by the sea.

“Our world is in pain, indeed,” she told the delegates.

“But consider the increased agony there would be without the United Nations.”

Ms. Baerbock emphasized the UN’s vital role in humanitarian aid, noting the millions reliant on agencies such as the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the World Health Organization (WHO)

She urged Member States to adapt the UN “to the needs of the 21st century” by advancing reforms, implementing the Pact for the Future adopted last year, and focusing on substance over protocol.

“The General Assembly must focus on its mandates and deliver on its commitments,” she said, promising to serve all 193 members equally, to be “a bridge builder,” and to ensure every voice is heard.

Her priorities for the coming year include implementing the UN80 reform agenda, guiding the process of selecting the next Secretary-General, and advancing peace, sustainable development, and human rights.

The Charter is not self-executing: Guterres

Secretary-General António Guterres, congratulating Ms. Baerbock on her election, praised her vision and experience, urging governments to muster the resolve that united nations 80 years ago.

“The United Nations provides the space. The Charter offers the tools,” he said. “But without this Assembly – all of you – working together, nothing is possible.”

Mr. Guterres emphasized the need to mend divisions, recommit to international law, accelerate action on the Sustainable Development Goals, transition to renewable energy while supporting developing countries.

He cited last year’s Pact for the Future as “a boost for multilateralism” and called on Member States to “restore trust and faith in one another.”

‘Collective promise’ remains

Outgoing Assembly President Philémon Yang closed the 79th session earlier, highlighting initiatives on humanitarian law, small arms control, sustainable development, and child labor—as well as dialogues on multilingualism and women’s role in mediation.

Emphasizing gender equality and Security Council reform during his tenure, he also oversaw the 80th-anniversary commemoration.

“Member States made it clear that despite rising global conflicts, the Charter and the United Nations itself represent a collective promise of a better future world.” he said.

A year of high stakes

Ms. Baerbock’s presidency arrives at a turning point for the United Nations.

Alongside addressing conflicts from Ukraine to Sudan, the Assembly will oversee the Pact for the Future’s implementation and prepare for the critical selection of the next Secretary-General.

She challenged delegates to adopt courage and unity: “If girls in Afghanistan or parents in Gaza can rise—during life’s darkest hours—and move forward, so can we. We owe it to them. But we also owe it to ourselves, for there’s simply no alternative.”