They said it: Leaders at the UN, in their own words

They said it: Leaders at the UN, in their own words The United Nations General Assembly’s annual General Debate is a ritual of global diplomacy, a stage where heads of state, foreign ministers and other dignitaries address the world on a litany of pressing issues. While the headlines are usually dominated by the most powerful nations and the most dramatic statements, the real texture of the meeting lies in the quieter, more nuanced reflections that slip past the sound‑bites. This year, the 2026 debate offered a chorus of perspectives that reveal how smaller states and non‑state actors view a world in flux, from climate urgency to geopolitical realignment..

Prince Abdul Mateen, Brunei’s foreign minister, opened his remarks with a reminder that “rebuilding confidence does not mean returning to a world that no longer exists.” Speaking from the small Southeast Asian sultanate, he urged the Assembly to recognize that the post‑pandemic order has irrevocably changed, with supply‑chain disruptions, digital transformation and shifting migration patterns reshaping daily life. Rather than attempting to restore a pre‑2020 status quo, he advocated for a forward‑looking framework that accommodates new economic realities while preserving the principles of multilateralism that have long underpinned the UN’s mission. Thorgerdur Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, Iceland’s foreign minister, turned the spotlight onto culture, asserting that “creativity is universal..

The difference is where society gives it the room to flourish.” Her statement underscored the island nation’s belief that artistic and scientific innovation are not luxuries but essential components of resilience, especially for countries vulnerable to climate change. She called for expanded funding for cross‑border research collaborations and for UNESCO programmes that protect intangible heritage, arguing that nurturing imagination can help societies adapt to rising sea levels and other environmental challenges. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s ary of state, offered a theological yet political lens, insisting that “peace is not a negative word.” He warned against the tendency to define peace merely as the absence of conflict, suggesting instead that true peace must be an active pursuit of justice, reconciliation and human dignity..

By invoking the Church’s longstanding commitment to humanitarian aid and dialogue, the Cardinal appealed to both religious and secular leaders to embed human rights safeguards within any cease‑fire agreements, emphasizing that a durable peace must address the root causes of violence, not just its symptoms. Moldova’s president delivered a modest yet hopeful proclamation: “Moldia may never be a great power, but it has everything it takes to make it a great country.” He highlighted the nation’s strides in digital governance, renewable energy adoption and diaspora engagement, framing these achievements as a blueprint for other small states seeking sustainable development. While acknowledging geopolitical constraints, he called on the UN to provide technical assistance that would help Moldova and similar economies diversify their export bases, reduce reliance on single energy sources and strengthen democratic institutions..

From the African continent, the Minister of Health for Kenya emphasized that “health security is a shared responsibility, not a charity.” She recounted the lessons learned from the COVID‑19 pandemic, noting how early vaccine inequity exacerbated socioeconomic divides. Her plea was for a binding international treaty on pandemic preparedness that would guarantee equitable access to diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines, as well as a transparent mechanism for sharing genomic data. By positioning health as a common good rather than a benevolent donation, she appealed to the moral and pragmatic interests of wealthier nations..

The foreign minister of Brazil, a country grappling with deforestation and Indigenous rights, reminded the Assembly that “the Amazon is a climate regulator, not a commodity.” He argued that international funding mechanisms should be restructured to reward preservation efforts, rather than penalising nations for restricting extractive industries. By linking forest protection to carbon credit markets and sustainable livelihood programmes, he presented a model that could reconcile economic development with environmental stewardship, urging the UN to spearhead a global framework that balances ecological integrity with the aspirations of local communities. A representative of the Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu warned that “rising seas are not a future scenario; they are a present reality for many of our people.” She detailed the daily hardships faced by families displaced from low‑lying atolls, urging immediate action on loss‑and‑damage financing..

Her appeal called for an expansion of the Green Climate Fund’s mandate to include direct compensation for climate‑induced migration, as well as a commitment to safeguard the cultural heritage of communities forced to relocate. By personalising the abstract statistics of sea‑level rise, she sought to galvanise a collective sense of urgency within the Assembly. From the Middle East, the foreign minister of Qatar highlighted that “energy transition must be inclusive, not exclusive.” While acknowledging the global shift toward renewables, he cautioned against policies that marginalise oil‑dependent economies without providing viable alternatives..

He proposed a UN‑led platform for technology transfer that would enable oil‑rich nations to diversify their energy portfolios, invest in green hydrogen and develop carbon‑capture infrastructure. By framing the transition as a shared journey rather than a zero‑sum competition, he appealed to both developed and developing nations to collaborate on a just pathway forward. The European Union’s high representative for foreign affairs warned that “digital sovereignty is the new frontier of security.” He stressed that the proliferation of data‑centric technologies has created vulnerabilities that transcend traditional military concerns..

Calling for a multilateral digital charter, he urged member states to cooperate on standards for artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and data privacy, arguing that a fragmented approach would only empower authoritarian regimes.