NEW YORK — UN Secretary-General António Guterres and General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock reaffirmed the principles of the UN Charter at a General Assembly meeting on Friday. The meeting commemorated the 81st anniversary of the UN Charter, where both Guterres and Baerbock advocated for a renewed commitment to multilateralism and urged reform to strengthen it and preserve the United Nations.

Guterres described the Charter as a promise for global cooperation. "The Charter was a promise to the world: That humanity can choose cooperation over chaos; law over lawlessness; dignity over domination; and hope over fear," Guterres said. He pointed to current global challenges such as wars of territorial expansion, the targeting of civilians, broken ceasefires, and selective enforcement of international law as factors straining the UN's founding principles. Guterres additionally stated that countries should not selectively apply the Charter's principles concerning sovereignty, human rights, and international law.

Secretary-General Guterres noted the UN's achievements, including its efforts in peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, vaccination campaigns, conflict mediation, international justice, and development assistance. "The United Nations has never been perfect, but it is irreplaceable," he said. The UN Charter, signed on June 26, 1945, is the foundational document of the United Nations, codifying major principles of international relations and outlining the organization's goals of maintaining peace and security, reaffirming fundamental human rights, establishing conditions for cooperation between states, and promoting social progress. June 26 is recognized as UN Charter Day.

General Assembly President Baerbock recognized the UN's role by stating, "The UN's existence is a miracle of humanity." She acknowledged the organization's inability to prevent conflicts in Sudan, Ukraine, Gaza, and Lebanon. Baerbock argued that the UN80 reform initiative offers an opportunity to enhance the organization's agility and efficiency, describing the goal as making it "agile and efficient." She cited UNICEF immunization campaigns, which have saved over 150 million children's lives, as an achievement. Baerbock also mentioned decades of peacekeeping missions, expanded access to education and healthcare, and worldwide humanitarian assistance as other accomplishments.

Baerbock asserted that "Multilateralism has not failed." She further explained that specific actions illustrate this point, stating, "Multilateralism works every day when humanitarian workers are delivering food even before sunrise in a crisis. Multilateralism works every day even if the Security Council is blocked, when peacekeepers protect civilians." Several Member States also renewed their commitments to the Charter's principles during the meeting. The United Nations comprises 193 Member States. The theme for this year's commemoration is "Better Together: One Charter, One Future."

Why It Matters

The reaffirmation of the UN Charter's principles and calls for reform by the Secretary-General and General Assembly President address the current challenges facing international cooperation. The UN Charter, as the foundational document for 193 Member States, establishes key principles for international relations, human rights, and peace. Calls for reform, such as the UN80 initiative, reflect an effort to adapt the organization to contemporary global issues, even as it continues to execute peacekeeping missions, provide humanitarian aid, and support development assistance.