Although it occurred out of historical necessity, the establishment of the United Nations was also a stroke of good luck for the world: It was born of the recognition that only clear rules for sovereign states that are on an equal footing will make the world safer in the long run. Finding solutions to urgent issues of peace and security requires putting the UN at the very heart of today’s diplomatic efforts to resolve conflicts.

In the Persian Gulf, Iran is attacking the global economy. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz reminds us how vulnerable our prosperity and global supply chains are. Those countries that have neither the means nor the resources to build up reserves are particularly affected. A lack of energy and fertiliser greatly jeopardises the world’s food supply. Today in New York, I will therefore call on the UN Security Council to live up to its responsibility. By stepping up and taking responsibility now, the Security Council is also strengthening the international order.

And there is another crucial issue on today’s agenda that has been a focus of the international community’s decades-long dispute with Iran: We want to ensure that the Non-Proliferation Treaty is universally applied – even though this is becoming increasingly difficult. The Review Conference, which gets under way today in New York, is an opportunity for us to discuss new ways of safeguarding the NPT’s accomplishments – as well as to focus on nuclear disarmament. As long as we and our partners are the targets of nuclear posturing, however, we will continue to need credible deterrence.

What we clearly need now as an international community is to make more intensive use of the United Nations. Despite this, we far too often see how individual countries with conflicting interests repeatedly block the UN Security Council. In view of the large concurrent conflicts we face, this is precisely what the international community cannot afford – and that is why Germany is stepping up its efforts at the United Nations. When existential questions of war and peace are discussed in New York, we should not fail to make our voice heard at UN Headquarters on the East River.

For over 80 years, the UN has been simply indispensable. It enables sustainable development and upholds human rights. To ensure the organisation continues to make a valuable contribution to a world that is witnessing ever more conflicts, we must summon up the courage to embark on a renewal of the United Nations. If the UN is to resolve present-day and future conflicts, the organisation must remain credible and become more capable of action. For this, we need both the committed efforts of all member states and decisive leadership. Germany therefore supports UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ reform agenda, which provides important impetus for renewal. As the host nation of the UN City of Bonn, Germany is making a concrete contribution towards implementing these reforms. Around the world, as well, many Germans – as soldiers or civilian aid workers – are working every day to make the United Nations more effective.

A global community that sets clear rules for itself and enforces them is in our own interest. As one of the world’s leading economies and one of the UN system’s most important donors, reliable rules and global partnerships are key priorities for us. And we want to take on even greater direct responsibility for this by presenting our candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council from 2027. With a seat on the Council, we hope to help shape the world’s security architecture – for peace and security, with respect and justice.a