Mr. Chair, Madam Under-Secretary-General, distinguished colleagues,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries Türkiye, North Macedonia*, Montenegro^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^* and Georgia align themselves with this statement.

Let me begin by congratulating you, Mr. Chair, and the Bureau on your election. We stand ready to work with you to ensure a results-oriented and forward-looking session.

We commend you, Madam Under-Secretary-General, and your team at the Department of Global Communications, for your tireless efforts to deliver clear, credible, objective, and timely information on the United Nations’ work. Your role is not simply important—it is essential. In a time when facts are under attack, your work is the first line of defence.

The United Nations must stand as a global lighthouse of truth and facts. In today’s volatile information environment—marked by manipulation, distortion, and deliberate falsehoods—the UN must lead by example in upholding information integrity.

The Department’s outreach must be inclusive, multilingual, and accessible to all—especially during crises. No individual or community should be left behind. This is not only a principle—it is a responsibility.

As we commemorate the UN’s 80th anniversary, and with the Pact for the Future as our collective compass, we must act boldly to reinforce multilateralism and the foundational values of the UN Charter. This includes defending facts, both within and beyond these halls.

Mr. Chair, Madam Under-Secretary-General, colleagues,

The EU and its Member States are deeply alarmed by the rise of information manipulation and disinformation—tools increasingly wielded to distort reality and undermine international peace and security. 

Disinformation does not only distort perceptions—it endangers lives. It hampers humanitarian access, erodes trust in peacekeeping, and sabotages climate action and sustainable development. We must confront this head-on. We cannot—and will not—allow malign actors to derail the UN’s mission.

We also stress: the protection of journalists and media professionals is non-negotiable. Especially in conflict zones, their safety and access must be guaranteed through strong international mechanisms. Reliable information must not become a casualty of war.

We commend the Secretary-General’s strong stance on this issue and fully support the Department of Global Communications’ efforts to operationalise the UN Global Principles on Information Integrity, in order to be faster, smarter, and more agile in responding to information threats.

We urge the Department to intensify its efforts, and to assess how to adapt to the effects of emerging technologies—such as Artificial Intelligence—on information and to actively explore how to harness those emerging technologies to strengthen a safe, inclusive, and trustworthy information space.

To conclude, the EU and its Member States reaffirm our full commitment to the Department’s mandate and mission. We will continue to advocate for a strong, relevant, future-ready and consensus-based mandate—one that empowers the Department to meet today’s challenges head-on.

Thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.