EU closes the week at the 81st UN General Assembly with strong engagement on peace, health and resilience

Multilateralism is not an ideal of the past. It is the only realistic way to address the problems of today. 

~President António Costa at the 81st United Nations General Assembly

In his address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, President of the European Council António Costa touched on a wide-range of issues from AI to UN Security Council reform. He concluded by emphasizing, "The European Union is clear about its choice. Cooperation over confrontation. We are ready to work together with all those who share this conviction."

Also yesterday, High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas delivered opening remarks at the high-level Ministerial meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, co-hosted by the EU together with Norway and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Commissioner Dubravka Šuica also delivered remarks. Read the statement by the co-chairs issued after the meeting. HR/VP Kallas co-hosted a Foreign Ministers Dialogue on Climate Change and Ecosystem Degradation as National Security Risks, together with the UK and Kenya. Read the press statement issued by the co-hosts after the meeting.

Commissioner Šuica delivered opening remarks at the Ministerial roundtable on health and humanitarian access in Gaza, co-hosted by the EU together with the UK, Jordan and Qatar. She also delivered opening remarks at the ministerial meeting of the Rome Coalition on Fertilisers Access and Food Security. The Commissioner also delivered remarks at the UNRWA ministerial meeting as well as opening remarks at the Ad-Hoc Liaison Committee Meeting on Palestine.

Commissioner Jozef Síkela announced three new initiatives in support of the global health system at the high-level side event 'EU Powering Global Health Resilience'. Earlier in the week, he also reconfirmed the EU’s commitment to the Global Partnership for Education, including a €200 million contribution for 2026–2027. He also announced EU support to the UN Resident Coordinator system worth €14 million, as well as an EU contribution worth €3 million for OHCHR’s work to promote human rights and combat impunity. You can find out more about these announcements here.

Commissioner Costas Kadis delivered a statement on behalf of the EU at the high-level plenary meeting on addressing the existential threats posed by sea level rise. 

Commissioner Hadja Lahbib delivered a speech at the G20 High Level Independent Panel on Pandemic preparedness and response. She also delivered a speech during the UN Economic and Social Council’s high-level event on Haiti. In the afternoon, she delivered opening remarks at the event ‘The Humanitarian Reset and Responsible Transitions: Safeguarding Resilience and Principled Action’. 

Today, Commissioner Šuica will participate in the UNDP event 'Regional Convergence for Energy, Trade and Connectivity: Turning Regional Cooperation into Resilience, Investment and Strategic Integration' organised jointly with the Gulf Cooperation Council Secretariat.

Commissioner Lahbib will deliver a statement on behalf of the EU at the UN-mandated high-level meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response at 10:00 EDT (16:00 CEST). You can watch it live on UN Web TV.