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STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR BURHAN GAFOOR, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SINGAPORE ON AGENDA ITEM 124 ON THE “REVITALIZATION OF THE WORK OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY”, 8 OCTOBER 2026

8 October 2026

A concise summary of the main points regarding this article.

1            Thank you very much, Mr President. I thank the Working Group Co-Chairs, Ambassador Williams of Saint Kitts and Nevis and Ambassador Feruță of Romania, for their excellent stewardship during the 80th Session. And I take this opportunity to congratulate the Permanent Representatives of New Zealand and the Philippines on their appointment as Co-Chairs. My delegation also aligns itself with the statements delivered earlier by Malaysia on behalf of ASEAN and by Algeria on behalf of NAM.

Mr President,

2            If we want the UN to remain relevant and fit for purpose, reform and revitalization are not optional. But reform must be purposeful, pragmatic and make a difference. Not more of the same, not less of the same, but change that makes the UN more efficient, effective and inclusive for all countries, large and small.

3            The General Assembly is the UN’s chief deliberative and representative organ. Strengthening it is therefore critical to UN reform. The 80th Session showed that reform is possible. We made improvements to our working methods, speaking arrangements, as well as the way meetings were conducted. But we can and must do more. I will make three points.

4            First, we must prioritise implementation of Resolution 79/327. The Working Group has itself led by example. It moved to a triennial cycle while maintaining its focus on implementation. Now, the Main Committees must do their part. We can and must shift to biennial and triennial cycles for a range of resolutions. We must shorten resolutions and exercise restraint in creating new agenda items. And we must reduce speaking times. The different Main Committees have different approaches, but they have all made some progress, and this is satisfying. I commend the Chairs of all the Main Committees for pushing the dossier of revitalization. For small delegations, it is impossible to follow every debate in every committee. The Second Committee for example has shown that revitalization is possible, by merging resolutions and reducing the frequency of others. The Third Committee is also developing a roadmap to streamline its work, and we hope that all the other Committees will do likewise.

5            To monitor implementation, one idea we have is to digitise the existing inventory of revitalization outcomes into a simple online tracker, showing what has been implemented, what is outstanding, and the responsible parties and timelines. This would create no reporting requirements, but can improve accountability for delivering agreed reforms.

6            Second, GA Revitalization and UN80 must be mutually reinforcing. Resolution 80/251 on mandates complements Resolution 79/327 in proposing concrete ways to strengthen how mandates are created, implemented and reviewed, including the use of concept-note templates and review clauses. Both processes work in tandem to improve the way we work.

7            Third, we must build on progress we have made so far in the selection and appointment process of the Secretary-General. This is the most consequential process for our Organisation this year, perhaps for the next decade. We have made progress towards a more predictable, transparent and inclusive process, including through clearer timelines and interactive dialogues. We must continue. All candidates, existing or new, should be subject to the same process and same treatment. They should engage the General Assembly before the Security Council considers their candidacy. We also need greater transparency in the Council’s deliberations, including the outcomes of straw polls. Relying on leaks does no good for the credibility of the process.

Mr President,

8            Multilateralism is not an abstract ideal. And revitalization is not an impossible goal. All countries, regardless of size, depend on the rules-based multilateral system grounded in international law. Revitalizing the General Assembly is more than a question of improving procedures; it is about strengthening the UN and the multilateral system. Singapore remains committed to working with all Member States to advance this effort. And I have kept within the time limit, which shows that speaking limits are possible as well. Thank you.