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For peace, justice and respect: Foreign Minister Wadephul at the UN General Debate in New York
United Nations Headquarter in New York City © Florian Gaertner/photothek.de
Eighty years after the founding of the United Nations, the rules-based international order, and with it the UN, is under considerable pressure. Germany is prepared to take on more responsibility within the universal organisation, because we need the UN to help shape our international coexistence.
When the representatives of the 193 UN member states gather for the annual General Debate, the eyes of the world are on New York. Heads of state and government and foreign ministers from all across the world travel to the city with their delegations in order to present their positions. UN headquarters and the streets of Manhattan along the East River are all hustle and bustle. The General Assembly – taking place this year for the 80th time – is a forum for close international coordination.
For the speeches in the famous Assembly Hall with the large golden UN seal are just one element of this intense week. Countless side-events take place on the fringes of the General Assembly, facilitating substantive discussions and enabling representatives of organisations and civil-society groups to feed in their viewpoints as well. In parallel, the foreign ministers hold numerous bilateral talks with their counterparts. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul will be visiting New York from Monday till Saturday as head of the German delegation.
The United Nations in crisis
Eighty years on from its foundation, the United Nations has rarely been under such pressure. Russia is still engaged in its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine; there is no sign of a resolution to the Middle East conflict; and a bloody civil war has been raging in the Sudan for almost two and a half years now. The rapid advance of artificial intelligence is bringing autonomous weapon systems within reach. People around the world expect the United Nations to be capable of action on these and other issues.
Speaking prior to his departure, Foreign Minister Wadephul addressed the role of the UN:
The UN Charter represents the hope that jointly agreed rules are stronger than arbitrary violence, that negotiations produce more sustainable solutions than the dominance of individuals, and that a life of dignity can be enjoyed by every human being. However, this promise, made by the world with the founding of the United Nations 80 years ago, is facing unprecedented pressure.
Other pressing challenges, such as global rising sea-levels, will also be high on the agenda in New York.
Not losing sight of climate change
Coastal regions and low-lying island states are increasingly in jeopardy in the face of rising sea-levels. In the medium term, over 120 UN member states will be affected, with far-reaching consequences for livelihoods, food security and – in some cases – countries’ very existence.
That is why Foreign Minister Wadephul will be coordinating closely with the Small Island Developing States (SIDS). This group comprises 39 states, mainly in the Caribbean and Pacific but also in the Indian Ocean and Atlantic, that are all confronted by similar challenges. Germany recognises the particular challenges facing the SIDS, which are among the hardest hit by climate change, although their contribution to it is slight.
Middle East on the agenda
The situation of the civilian population in Gaza remains unbearable. In New York, Foreign Minister Wadephul will emphasise demands for a ceasefire in Gaza. The hostages still being held by Hamas must be released immediately. There must be a drastic improvement in getting humanitarian assistance to the people in Gaza. At the same time, the long-term perspective for the people in the Palestinian territories must not be forgotten.
A two-state solution is the only realistic option to enable Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side in future in peace and security. The specific implementation of a two-state solution will be the subject of a conference on the fringes of the General Assembly hosted on Monday by France and Saudi Arabia. Foreign Minister Wadephul will attend this conference and make Germany’s position clear: we support state-building in the Palestinian territories. However, in the German Government’s view, recognition of a Palestinian state is the end of a process of negotiation on the two-state solution.
Germany is ready to shoulder more responsibility
As the second-largest contributor to the UN system, Germany has been a reliable partner to the UN for more than 50 years. Germany contributes military, police and civilian personnel to peace missions around the world. More than 30 UN organisations with well over 1000 staff members are based in Germany – in Bonn, Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and other cities.
Germany’s involvement is based on the firm conviction that global issues can only be solved globally. The rules-based international order, with the Charter of the United Nations and international law as its foundation, is indispensable in this regard. It is for this reason that Germany is again applying for a non‑permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2027/28 term.
Prior to his departure, Foreign Minister Wadephul commented:
Many rightly look to Germany with the expectation that we will work for a world where peace, human rights and development are not just distant promises. By standing as a candidate for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2027/28, we seek to assume greater responsibility once again. We support a rules-based international order with a strong United Nations at its heart in order to meet global challenges with truly global solutions. It is my firm conviction that this also provides the strongest foundation for our security, our freedom and our prosperity.
