Director-General's remarks at the Session with students of the Master of Advanced Studies in European and International Governance (MEIG)

Director-General’s session with the students of the Master of Advanced Studies in European and International Governance (MEIG)
“The UN today, reimagining multilateralism for the 21st century”
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 at 2.00 p.m.
Room S4, Building S2, Palais des Nations

Dear students, 
Ladies and gentlemen,

A warm welcome to the Palais des Nations. It is my pleasure to meet you, students of the Master of Advanced Studies in European and International Governance (MEIG) program. Let me thank Professor Kaddous for having integrated a practical component of the visit to the Palais for students of this programme since its inception. Today, we will discuss the history of multilateralism, examine current global challenges, explore the United Nations’ actions for a better future, and reflect on the role of International Geneva. You will then have an opportunity to ask questions. 

1. History of multilateralism

This year marks the 80^th anniversary of the United Nations. Born from the ashes of World War II, the UN Charter remains a cornerstone of international cooperation. It enshrines the principles of peace, equality, and shared responsibility. The United Nations and a global order based on multilateralism, international law and friendly relations among states are rooted in this Charter.

When reflecting on the time when the UN Charter was adopted, it is remarkable how far we have come. Since then, we have made significant strides in advancing human rights, eradicating diseases like smallpox, reducing poverty rates globally, and promoting education for millions.

Another striking example is gender balance. When the United Nations was created, the topic of gender equality in international politics was quite marginal and the presence of women at the negotiating table was rare. At the San Francisco Conference, which established the UN, only four out of 850 delegates were women. Yet their contributions were meaningful: thanks to these four women, the principle of equal rights for both men and women became a foundational element of the UN Charter.

However, history also reminds us that progress is neither linear nor guaranteed. The UN has evolved alongside new challenges – whether addressing decolonization in the mid-20^th century or combating terrorism in recent decades.

2. Current Challenges 

Our global context has changed a lot since 1945. Our world faces turbulent times: we are seeing geopolitical tensions, global economic insecurity, growing violent conflicts and nuclear threats, record levels of humanitarian needs, ever-more pressing consequences of climate change, with 2024 being the hottest year on record, deepening inequalities, increasing mistrust and misinformation, and more. And the burden of such crises is not shared equally - developing nations often face the heaviest impact, despite contributing the least to these problems.

These challenges have put the multilateral system to the test. Although the United Nations remains the place where all the world’s nations can gather, discuss common problems, and find shared solutions that benefit all of humanity, the global context has significantly changed since 1945, and the international community must - and can - do better. We need an updated system of international cooperation that is fairer, more inclusive, and more effective.

3. UN and Pact for the Future

To this end, last September, world leaders met in New York at the Summit of the Future and adopted the Pact for the Future to transform global governance. This was the culmination of an inclusive, years-long process to adapt international cooperation – including the United Nations – to the realities of today and the challenges of tomorrow. Its realization is one of the main priorities of the UN for 2025 and the coming years. 

The Pact is the most wide-ranging international agreement in many years and I encourage you to make time to read it. It covers a number of issues, including peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations, and the transformation of global governance. 

The Pact aims, above all, to ensure that international institutions can deliver in a world that has changed dramatically since they were created. In the words of the UN Secretary-General: “We cannot create a future fit for our grandchildren with a system built by our grandparents”.

For example, the Pact includes the most progressive and concrete commitment to the UN Security Council reform since the 1960s, with plans to improve the effectiveness and representativeness of the Council, including by redressing the historical under-representation of Africa as a priority. 

The Pact also includes:

● An agreement to strengthen international frameworks that govern outer space, including a clear commitment to prevent an arms race in outer space; 

● Steps to avoid the weaponization and misuse of new technologies, such as lethal autonomous weapons;

● A path to reform the international financial architecture so that it better represents and serves developing countries; 

● And, finally, a commitment to more meaningful opportunities for young people to participate in the decisions that shape their lives, especially at the global level. 

There are also two annexes to the Pact: the Global Digital Compact, which is the first comprehensive global framework for digital cooperation and AI governance, and the first-ever Declaration on Future Generations, which contains clear steps to take into account future generations in our decision-making.

Furthermore, the entire Pact is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. On climate change, for example, it confirms the need to keep global temperature rise to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and to transition away from fossil fuels in the energy systems to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Clearly, there is a lot to do to build the future of the world and of international cooperation.

4. UN Office at Geneva

And what is the role of the UN Office at Geneva in this multilateral system?

Let me begin by highlighting the unique place that the UN Office at Geneva holds in the history of multilateralism. Originally built as the headquarters for the League of Nations, the Palais des Nations has been at the centre of diplomacy for nearly a century. Since 1946, it has served as the representative office of the UN Secretary-General in Geneva, supporting the global community to address its challenges.

Our core functions focus on the provision of services to support multilateral diplomacy. UNOG plays a leading role in fostering and enabling collaboration with and among Member States, civil society, academia and other actors, and supporting intergovernmental processes. Many high-level delegations gather here every year to participate in bilateral exchanges, meetings, and conferences. Among them are meetings of the Human Rights Council, and the annual sessions of the International Labour Conference and the World Health Assembly. The regular sessions of the Conference on Disarmament, as well as the Review Conferences of some disarmament treaties (e.g. the Biological Weapons Convention, Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, Convention on Cluster Munitions) are also held here. In 2023, UNOG hosted and serviced 8,478 meetings, which makes us one of the busiest UN duty stations in the world in terms of conference management.

The commitment of our Host Country – Switzerland - to neutrality in international relations, coupled with Geneva’s infrastructure and favourable conditions for multilateral relations, make UNOG a unique venue to bring together parties to negotiate ceasefires and peace agreements. Over the past several years, we have hosted and facilitated various meetings in support of UN-led peace initiatives in Syria, Libya, Georgia, Cyprus and Yemen. Most recently, in July 2024, the Palais des Nations hosted a round of UN-led talks between Sudan’s warring parties. UNOG also fosters partnerships for peacebuilding through several initiatives, including the annual Geneva Peace Week, which provides a unique platform to share knowledge and practice on a diverse range of topics related to peace across contexts and disciplines. 

By leveraging its unique position as a diplomatic hub, UNOG actively contributes to the realization of the Pact for the Future and helping to ensure that multilateralism remains effective and relevant in addressing 21^st century challenges. And through initiatives like The Beyond Lab, UNOG fosters innovation in global governance and develops fresh approaches to shared problems, in line with the Pact’s commitments.   

UNOG is also dedicated to empowering young minds. We are committed to supporting youth engagement with multilateralism through our programs such as the Young Activists Summit, Young Reporters at the UN and the Graduate Study Programme, which contribute to the Pact’s call for greater youth involvement in global governance.

As you are students of European and international governance, I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that the UN Office at Geneva is the home of the largest library on multilateralism and international law in the world. Our collections span almost 50 linear kilometres and provide access to millions of digital references. The historical archives of the League of Nations are also kept at the Palais des Nations and are available online, free of charge. Thanks to a recent project to digitization of such records, researchers from all over the world have an opportunity to deepen their understanding of multilateralism through various documents of the League of Nations.

5. Conclusion

Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear students,

When I look at this room, I am inspired by the potential of such a diverse and talented group. As diplomats, policymakers, academics, private sector representatives and global citizens, your role in building the multilateralism of the twenty-first century is crucial. You are equipped with the tools to shape the future, and it is important to use them properly in promoting the principles of solidarity, peace, equality, and sustainability. Your commitment and energy are a great source of inspiration for the United Nations, and your courage and determination are needed more than ever.

Thank you. Now, I look forward to hearing your perspectives and answering your questions.