On September 28, 2025, the world’s attention turned once more to New York, as the United Nations General Assembly entered its fifth day of debate during the organization’s milestone 80th anniversary session. While the annual event often spotlights the loudest or most powerful voices, this year’s gathering drew a chorus of perspectives from leaders representing nations both large and small, each grappling with the unprecedented challenges of a rapidly shifting global order.
From the outset, the tone was one of urgency and reflection. According to The Associated Press, Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell captured a prevailing sentiment among smaller states, declaring, “Dialogue is not weakness. It is in fact the highest form of courage.” His words echoed throughout the Assembly, resonating with countries that have often felt sidelined in international decision-making.
Romania’s Foreign Minister Oana-Silvia Toiu issued a stark warning against repeating the failures of the past, reminding delegates, “We all know of the League of Nations. We must not repeat it.” The caution was timely, as the institution’s credibility—and its ability to adapt—was a recurring theme among speakers. Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow, attending just days after assuming office, underscored the gravity of the moment: “This 80th anniversary of the United Nations comes at a time when the U.N. is at a crossroad, facing critical challenges.”
For nations on the front lines of existential threats, the stakes felt even higher. The Bahamas’ Prime Minister Philip Davis pleaded for recognition of his country’s vulnerabilities, stating, “If the Bahamas were to collapse because of the disproportionate risk we face from climate change, economic vulnerabilities and external geopolitical pressures, the world would lose more than one of the best tourist destinations on this planet. We ask for nothing more than what we all want: the right to live in peace and security and in the pursuit of happiness. Most of all, just let us live. Just give us the right to live!”
Other leaders stressed the daily labor required to build peace. Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan offered a sobering reminder: “Peace is not a vacation. It is work—everyday work.” His words found common ground with those of Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, who described Bhutan’s upcoming Global Peace Prayer Festival as both a privilege and a prayer, hoping “the voice of a small Himalayan nation may help nurture the great cause of peace for all humanity.”
Amid the search for solutions, some leaders lamented the erosion of civility and the rise of tribalism. Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley, speaking on September 26, 2025, warned, “When we lose shared truth, our communities, our countries, our global society, loses our center of gravity. ... Slowly, over time, we descend into political tribalism. We develop alternative realities, and we are unable to understand each other ... then we grow suspicious of each other. In the absence of truth, trust deteriorates, and we see it all around us.”
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves echoed these concerns, criticizing the rise of “bellicosity of language shouted across continents and oceans designed, presumably, to satisfy nativist longings in the breasts of those who think that, despite their good fortune, relatively, they have been grievously wronged by some dark and hidden forces.”
The Assembly was not without its moments of sharp critique. Malaysia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, addressing the chamber, condemned what he called the UN’s impotence in the face of the ongoing violence in Gaza. He argued that the Security Council’s veto power—especially as wielded by Western nations—had stymied meaningful action, stating, “We must question and challenge the veto. We must free the Security Council from this humiliating paralysis.” He called for concrete action against the occupying force, support for a self-governing Palestinian state, and a fundamental reform of the United Nations, including the abolition of the veto and greater authority for the General Assembly. “Reform is no longer a choice. It is our imperative,” he asserted, warning that the credibility of the entire international system was at stake.
The Malaysian Foreign Minister also highlighted ASEAN’s role in regional peace efforts, citing its mediation in Myanmar and its commitment to a Myanmar-led resolution to the ongoing crisis. He urged all parties to respect the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to prevent the South China Sea from becoming a theater for superpower rivalry, and emphasized the need to champion the rights and needs of the Global South.
Elsewhere, the theme of institutional reform and adaptation was echoed by Kenya’s President William Ruto, who argued, “Institutions rarely fail because they lack vision or ideals. More often, they drift into irrelevance when they do not adapt, when they hesitate to act and when they lose legitimacy. To remain relevant, institutions must be re-imagined, reformed, renewed, and aligned with emerging realities.”
India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, reinforced India’s commitment to making the United Nations more relevant and reflective of the times. According to Indian media reports, Dr. Jaishankar stated on social media that “India will continue its work with the United Nations to make it more relevant and reflective of the times.” He also discussed geopolitical trends and current hotspots with his counterparts from Saudi Arabia and Algeria, underscoring the interconnectedness of today’s challenges.
In Washington, the anniversary was marked with a White House dinner hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, honoring visiting heads of state. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud attended the event, joining other leaders in a call for renewed efforts to promote peace, development, and cooperation among UN member states. Earlier in the week, President Mohamud addressed the Assembly, highlighting Somalia’s struggles and progress in security, counter-terrorism, democratic governance, and constitutional reforms.
Throughout the week, leaders from across the globe—Uganda, Eswatini, Palau, Gambia, the Netherlands, Sierra Leone, Spain, Estonia, Croatia, Suriname, Lithuania, Jordan, South Korea, and South Africa—added their voices to the conversation. From calls for women’s participation in peace processes to warnings about the erosion of shared truth and the dangers of unchecked brutality, the debates revealed both the diversity of global challenges and the shared desire for a more just and peaceful world.
As the United Nations marked its 80th year, the Assembly’s debates laid bare the tension between hope and frustration, between the ideals of the Charter and the realities of a fractured international order. Whether the institution can adapt and rise to meet the moment remains an open question—but as one leader after another made clear, the stakes could hardly be higher.
