Director-General's remarks at the Opening Ceremony of the XII Global Baku Forum "Rethinking World Order: Turning Challenges into Opportunities"

Opening ceremony
XII Global Baku Forum “Rethinking World Order: Turning Challenges into Opportunities”
Thursday, 13 March 2025 at 10:00 a.m., Gulustan Palace, Baku

Your Excellency President Aliyev,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great honour and pleasure to address the Global Baku Forum. I wish to sincerely thank His Excellency President Aliyev for his hospitality and support to this international platform for dialogue on global challenges. Thank you for welcoming us all in beautiful Baku. I also thank the Nizami Ganjavi International Center for organizing the 12th edition of the Forum that gains strength every year. 

We meet at a pivotal moment in history, as the world faces an array of unprecedented challenges. From geopolitical tensions, escalating armed conflicts and environmental crises to deepening inequalities and rising intolerance, our global landscape is increasingly fractured. Armed conflicts have reached their highest levels since World War II, with over 122.6 million people forcibly displaced due to violence and persecution. Meanwhile, progress on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is alarmingly off track – five years to 2030, less than one-fifth of the targets are on course – aggravated by a $4 trillion annual financing gap.

In response to these crises, the United Nations continues its efforts through peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, human rights advocacy, and sustainable development initiatives. In 2024, our various agencies provided crucial support to millions of people worldwide, from refugee assistance to food aid, vaccination programs, and peacekeeping operations.

Just few examples:
-    The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) assisted 119 million people fleeing war, famine, and persecution. 
-    The World Food Programme (WFP) provided food and assistance to 160 million people across more than 120 countries and territories. 
-    UNICEF supplied vaccines to 45% of the world’s children, saving over 3 million lives.

The list of concrete positive impact on people’s lives is long.

We see that multilateralism does matter. Multilateralism does have a huge impact. Cooperation and collaboration save lives. And, of course, multilateral system has to be reformed, has to be activated to the level of challenges of the 21st century.

Our Office at Geneva plays its part as a hub for multilateral diplomacy, bringing together governments, international organizations, civil society, academia, the private sector and young people to find common solutions. By facilitating dialogue, negotiations and cooperation, our office helps advance peace processes, forge international agreements and address global challenges in a spirit of collaboration. 

On the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, despite our joint achievements, it is clear that the global governance system must evolve to address contemporary issues more effectively. Rethinking the world order and strengthening global cooperation are critical imperatives in addressing the complex challenges of the 21st century.

The Pact for the Future, adopted last year, aims at strengthening global governance and rebuilding trust in multilateralism. It outlines actions in five broad areas: sustainable development, international peace and security, science and technology, youth engagement, and transforming global governance. 

The two adjoining commitments – the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations – offer enhanced opportunities for advancing international cooperation on emerging issues.

It is important to adapt to new realities, including the changing nature of conflict, the role of technology, and to empower women and youth. It is also essential to continue fostering inclusive multilateralism, promoting a more equitable system that involves diverse stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector. 

Ladies and gentlemen,

In presenting his list of priorities to the UN General Assembly at the beginning of this year, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for accelerated action in high-impact areas like poverty eradication, food security, quality education for all, social protection, universal health coverage, energy access, digitalization and reducing climate impact. All this with gender equality and equal opportunities in mind. 

By steadfastly upholding our commitment to multilateralism and cooperation, we can transform current challenges into opportunities for progress. The insights and ideas generated at this Forum will be significant for reimagining the world order and bolstering global cooperation. Let us accelerate our joint global efforts for a more effective, inclusive, and responsive global governance system.

Thank you.