{"id":291690,"date":"2026-02-12T12:03:06","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T17:03:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/80\/?p=291690"},"modified":"2026-02-13T12:34:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T17:34:10","slug":"pga-remarks-at-the-inter-parliamentary-union-hearing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/80\/2026\/02\/12\/pga-remarks-at-the-inter-parliamentary-union-hearing\/","title":{"rendered":"PGA Remarks at the\u00a0 Inter-Parliamentary Union Hearing"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Remarks by the President of the General Assembly, <\/strong><\/p>\n

H.E. Annalena Baerbock, <\/strong><\/p>\n

at the\u00a0 Inter-Parliamentary Union Hearing<\/strong><\/p>\n

12 February 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

[As Delivered]<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

\n

Dr Tulia Ackson, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Excellencies,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Colleagues,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ladies and gentlemen,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dear friends,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Allow me to say welcome<\/em>, from the bottom of my heart.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is not only good to see you, but we really need<\/em> you.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In normal times, we would all gather together here in New York to celebrate 80 years of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, underlining how important the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ is, and the relationship to IPU.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But unfortunately, we are not living in ordinary times.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This dear institution is not only under pressure.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is under outright attack.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Consider that one of the biggest contributing countries has recently withdrawn from the World Health Organization, among several other Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ entities.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Secretary General has warned that the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ could face a financial collapse by July, given a persistent liquidity crisis, as Member States are failing to pay their assessed contributions, weakening the Organization\u2019s ability to operate.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

You can even see the light is not working properly anymore.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And while Peacekeeping is not the only area which has faced cuts, it is especially concerning that at a moment we most need cooperation\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2026.most need the United Nations\u2026.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2026some powers…especially those who have a responsibility to protect peace and security…are pulling away from that very responsibility or even actively undermining it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Therefore, it is good that you are here. I hope not only for two days but afterwards everyday also in your parliament.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Because we cannot just passively observe all of this.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What is required is engagement.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Your<\/em> engagement.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

During my priorities speech on 14 January, I called on Permanent Representatives, from all your countries, to step forward.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As parliamentarians, you control your governments, and you sit closest to your own societies.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

You help ensure that global decisions are grounded in real needs and lived realities.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

You play a central role in engaging civil society, the private sector, and young people.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

You bridge the international and the domestic, translating global agreements into practical national policies.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That is why the Pact for the Future – in Action 55 – explicitly calls for more robust and structured engagement between parliaments and international and regional institutions<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So again, it is great that you are here. And we also count on you,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As we will discuss later on different topics, allow me to emphasize at the beginning three areas where we urgently need your support.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

First, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ needs you to stand up for the Charter.<\/p>\n

During a time when core principles of the Charter, including Article 2 on the prohibition on the use of force and non-intervention, but also human rights, and the humanitarian law, are openly violated, it makes a difference if and how many countries take a principled stance.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It makes a difference if there are debates going on in the national parliaments all over the world.<\/p>\n

And upholding the Charter also means recognizing the interlinkage between all its 3 pillars of work: peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They have been interlinked from the beginning.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If suddenly some are threatening by amendments to delete climate action or women\u2019s rights from our deliberations, and from our resolutions, every vote of every country in the General Assembly hall.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And indeed speaking about human rights, I remember very well when I was preparing for a speech to be delivered in London commemorating the 80th anniversary of the first meeting of the General Assembly \u2013 which took place there in a destroyed London after the Second World War – and the SG and I were going through the old black and white photographs and grainy footage, something in between stood out to me.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There was a side event led by Eleanor Roosevelt, in a room packed with women, which made clear from the beginning that the United Nations would represent all humanity, not just men.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So when you hear these days, maybe sometimes in your own parliament, that women\u2019s rights are something called \u201cwoke\u201d \u2013 just show them the old black and white pictures again.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Women\u2019s rights have been embedded in the very DNA of the United Nations since its creation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Because the founding mothers – back then, only a few \u2013 but especially also the founding fathers, after having gone through two world wars, knew that if women are not at the table, then peace won\u2019t last.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Yes, obviously, not only women\u2019s rights but also other rights are under heavy pressure.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Especially when we are looking to the SDGs \u2013 actually it has been a success story \u2013 more children back in school, fighting poverty altogether, realizing in a pandemic that we can work on health challenges only together.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Yet, we are heavily slowing down.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Which brings me to my second point.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Implementation and why the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ needs your support reforming this institution.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Over decades this house has been growing in parallel processes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And like any institution over 80 years, it needs an update.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So therefore, the SG has called for a big reform initiative; I hope you all know it\u00a0 – it\u2019s easy – Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ80, which has 3 different workstreams: mandate review, operational decisions, and budgetary discipline.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Across the system, too many entities are tasked with overlapping responsibilities, often working in parallel on similar objectives, sometimes in the same countries, and occasionally even competing for the same limited resources.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Again, it is up to you Member States, because your governments – sometimes also some of you – sit also in the boards of these different agencies.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So we are finding for example that we have with regard to education, where everybody wants to play a role, different institutions doing similar things within Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵESCO, within Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵICEF, within Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵDP \u2013 on teacher training, on learning materials, on the development, even on school construction.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So we are at a point where we – and I think this is a strength and not a weakness \u2013 are reflecting and saying, we can do better.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But we also are at a point where we have to pay attention every second that we are not throwing the baby out with the bathwater.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Because this is not about less education. But it\u2019s about making education available for everybody around the world.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And therefore, I called on again your missions here, your permanent representatives, the ambassadors to engage.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To address this also in your capitals. In your governments. In your parliament.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Where are your reform proposals?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Yet, reform is meaningless if the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ simply runs out of money.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We cannot allow those who would weaponize failings or setbacks to use existing inefficiencies as justification to unravel all we have built for lack of funding.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I repeat, the Secretary-General has sounded the alarm: our Organization could face insolvency as early as July!<\/p>\n

So I call again on you. This is your house, this is your institution.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We will have a survey afterwards.<\/p>\n

The vast majority of citizens all around the world trust the blue flag, trust the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, more – I\u2019m sorry to say, it counts also to my country \u2013 than our own governments, even sometimes your own institutions.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Because they believe in it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But it won\u2019t be the citizens of the world who will come here to save the United Nations: they task your governments; they task you; they task us with these jobs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So I count on you to ensure that your country is paying its obligations and contributions in full and on time.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It\u2019s like in a sports club. If you don\u2019t pay your fees, normally, you cannot participate anymore.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But the current budgetary constraints are forcing United Nations agencies to make devastating choices, such as cutting nutrition programmes for infants by 20 percent \u2013 this means 20 percent more babies are literally starving.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So the question is, yes, if some are cutting can you mobilise extra national budgets to provide voluntary contributions?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And a third point, amid these challenging times, we obviously need sound leadership.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As you all know, the selection of the next Secretary-General is coming up.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This choice will shape not only how the United Nations functions, but whose voices it reflects.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Whether it serves all<\/em> of humanity, half of whom are women and girls.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Indeed, it is reasonable to ask how, in eighty years, despite billions of potential candidates, there has not yet been a single woman leading this Organization.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So the process of selecting the next Secretary-General has now begun, and I am honoured to preside over it as President of the General Assembly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Two applications have officially been received so far.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And the interactive dialogues will begin on the week of 20 April.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Over the summer the Security Council will discuss and have their own hearings.<\/p>\n

Pursuant to the Charter, \u201cthe Secretary-General shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council\u201d.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So as all of your countries have not only a seat but a voice in the General Assembly, I encourage you to remain deeply engaged in this process.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I have already heard from some countries, that they intend to hold debates on what they expect from the next Secretary-General.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And maybe this is something your parliaments could also consider.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If you could hold for example livestreaming when we will have our dialogues here in April.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For the decision will shape not only how the United Nations functions, but how it responds to a world facing both enduring challenges and rapidly emerging new topics.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And I encourage you as well because we are not only in crisis mode \u2013 I mean we can see that also with this nice spring flowers – \u00a0that even when we have minus 20 degrees here that there will be better times coming up.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This house was not only built for crisis.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This house was built for the big success as well.<\/p>\n

Fighting for example, AIDS\/HIV was something we could only do together.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fighting the pandemic, we could only do together, because the virus did not have any passport; it didn\u2019t stop at any border.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And therefore, besides all the tricky discussions we are having around crisis, we will also have in the Spring the review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy to implementation; we have also the New Urban Agenda; we have also advancing South-South cooperation; and the Second International Migration Review Forum.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In this regard it won\u2019t get boring: anything is therefore everybody\u2019s and therefore you can really cherry pick what you would really like to engage.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But not engaging in these times, sorry to say, is no option.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I know, and I remember very well when I was in parliament, it was 12 years long that unfortunately not everybody is excited and engaged with international diplomacy and policy like you.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This is why you are here.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So bringing up international topics, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, at the national discissions, is quite challenging.<\/p>\n

Even more standing up and speaking up in these times, especially with social media and Artificial Intelligence amplifying misinformation and disinformation, is not easy at all.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But this institution, dear colleagues, was not built for easy times.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We are not bystanders with the luxury of standing on the sidelines while injustice unfolds.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Silence is a choice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Courage and action are choices as well.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And the good thing about courage is that it is infectious.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If one stands up, others will follow.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The 2026 Parliamentary Hearing at the United Nations on 12 and 13 February 2026, in New York, under the theme Parliaments and the United Nations: Better together, delivering for the people. Watch Full Broadcast Here<\/a><\/span><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

United Nations<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

New York,\u00a0US<\/span><\/p>\n

www.un.org\/pga\/80<\/a><\/span><\/u><\/p>\n