EU Statement – UN General Assembly: Joint Briefing by the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council

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Presidents, Excellency, Distinguished Delegates, 

I deliver this statement on behalf of the EU and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Serbia*, Albania*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina* and Georgia, as well as Andorra, Monaco, and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

We highly appreciate the tradition of holding a joint briefing at the beginning of each year to set priorities to ensure coherence between the work of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council.

As we approach 2030, the finish line for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the urgency to modernise and strengthen our multilateral system has never been greater. And neither has the need to bolster our internal coordination, to minimize duplications and better deliver on our mandates for the benefit of the people on the ground. The European Union fully supports the Secretary-General’s UN80 Initiative as a timely and necessary effort in this direction.

ECOSOC stands at the heart of this transformation. For eighty years, it has played a central role in coordinating the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, fostering inclusive dialogue and driving collective action. 

ECOSOC’s agenda this year will remain demanding, including work on accelerating SDG implementation, following up on major UN outcomes, notably on financing for development, the Ocean, climate and environment, social development, gender equality, digital cooperation, and the information society, and contributing to key global conferences and review processes. 

At the same time, overlaps and duplications with the work of the General Assembly have appeared over time and remain a major challenge to our effectiveness. 

Allow me to highlight three key messages:

First, fragmentation continues to undermine effectiveness. Too many bodies with overlapping mandates, too many resolutions with limited follow-up, and insufficient alignment between the General Assembly and ECOSOC weaken our collective impact. Reforming central governance must therefore focus on simplification, integration, coherence and stronger coordination across the UN system. We welcome the monthly meetings between the PGA and PECOSOC and encourage the further extension of the format to the President of the Security Council, when needed. 

Second, the UN80 initiative is an unprecedented opportunity to ensure a more targeted, agile, and cost-effective delivery across the UN system. In this respect, the European Union welcomes a more responsible use and allocation of resources across all three pillars of the UN, particularly ensuring adequate financial, operational, and normative support to sustainable development, human rights, and gender equality.

Third, as we approach the intergovernmental review during the General Assembly’s 80th session and assess ECOSOC’s machinery, we must strengthen the Council’s capacity to address complex and interlinked challenges in uncertain times. These challenges and crises require stronger coherence between humanitarian, sustainable development, human rights, and peace efforts, and a clearer focus on implementation and evaluation.

The mandated full review of ECOSOC and HLPF present us with an important opportunity to turn ECOSOC into a genuine “accountability, implementation, and solutions chamber.” While past reviews have delivered some meaningful achievements, we should spare no effort to further strengthen ECOSOC so that it can better fulfil its role under the UN Charter and deliver with more impact leaving no one behind.

Presidents,

ECOSOC’s role as the central platform for coordination, policy coherence, and partnership on sustainable development is more important than ever. 

And partnerships are essential to delivering the SDGs. Through initiatives such as Global Gateway, the European Union continues to build mutually beneficial partnerships that translate shared commitments into concrete results on the ground.

You can count on the European Union and its Member States as constructive and committed partners in this endeavour.

Thank you.

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