The Secretary-General’s remarks at the opening of the seventy-ninth session of the United Nations General Assembly

Mr. President of the 79th session of the General Assembly, Your Excellency Philemon Yang of Cameroon — congratulations. 

You bring to this vital task a wealth of experience, including your years as Prime Minister of Cameroon that I had the privilege to meet in your country, but also as a diplomat and public servant, and as a proud African.

I commend your vision statement’s focus on key priorities such as finance and science and technology which are all critical to global progress.

Mr. President, I pledge my full support as you unite our diverse membership around common goals and solutions.

And I once again thank the outgoing President — His Excellency Dennis Francis — for his stewardship of this Assembly over the last year.

Excellencies,

As we open this 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, we confront a world in trouble.

But the good news is that we can do something about it.

From day one, the United Nations has been the place for multilateral solutions — grounded in collaboration…dialogue…diplomacy…and the United Nations Charter.

And it has been the place where respect for one another, and for the dignity and human rights that belong to every member of the human family, are brought to life. 

As we welcome this 79th session, these tasks now fall to you.

This is the place where solutions are made.

And we need solutions across the board.

Solutions to bring the Sustainable Development Goals back to life, and end poverty and inequality.

Solutions to spur economic progress and job-creation for all — especially women and young people. 

Solutions to bridge the political divides and end the conflicts that are causing so much death and suffering.

Solutions to end the climate catastrophe that is killing our one and only home.

Solutions to summon the financing that developing countries need to invest in the future of their people.

Solutions that give all countries a voice in global institutions of finance, peace and security.

And solutions to ensure that groundbreaking technologies like artificial intelligence are a boon, not a barrier, to human progress and equality.

Step by step, solution by solution, we can re-build trust and faith in one another, and in what we can accomplish through collaboration and solidarity.

Mr. President, Excellencies,

The values that have brought us together since 1945 are more essential than ever.

In confronting the challenges before us, the United Nations General Assembly remains an indispensable tool and a vital pathway towards a peaceful and just future for all people.

Let’s renew our commitment to that future.

And let’s get there together.

Thank you.