STATEMENT : ON BEHALF OF THE ASSOCIATION OF THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN) AT THE PLENARY MEETING ON THE REVITALIZATION OF THE WORK OF THE GA

Thank you, Madam President,

Malaysia has the honour of speaking on behalf of the 11 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as its Chair for this year.

2. At the outset, ASEAN wishes to thank Ambassador Cornel Feruţă of Romania and Ambassador Mathu Joyini of South Africa, for their stewardship as the Co-Chairs of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Revitalisation of the Work of the General Assembly during the 79^th Session.

Madam President,

3. We welcome the adoption by consensus of the resolution on the Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly, at the previous session. ASEAN believes the resolution will continue to contribute and strengthen our collective efforts on the important agenda of revitalizing the General Assembly.

4. ASEAN has actively participated and contributed to the thematic debates convened by the Co-Chairs during the 79^th Session. During the thematic debates, ASEAN consistently advocated for greater women’s representation for the positions of the President of the General Assembly and of the Secretary-General of the UN. We have also urged for the strengthening of the institutional memory of the Office of the President of General Assembly, and for its adequate funding and support. ASEAN will continue this active engagement and contribution during the current session. 

Madam President,

5. To contribute to this plenary debate, allow me to emphasise the following points:

Working Methods

6. First, ASEAN welcomes efforts to streamline and further strengthen the working methods of the General Assembly, as provided by the resolution on the Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly. The reformed working methods, if fully implemented, will allow for better optimisation of resources, for both Member States and the UN. It is important that all Member States work together to ensure the reforms to the working methods under the resolution are fully implemented.

Geographical representation

7. We are encouraged by and fully support the continued emphasis on equal and fair geographical representation, to ensure that all regions are fairly represented in the leadership roles of the UN. Geographical balance and distribution are essential in the selection and appointment of the Secretary-General and among executive heads within the UN. This geographical balance and rotation should receive our continued support to strengthen a just and inclusive system.

Underrepresentation of women

8. The previous point about geographical balance brings me to an equally, if not more, important matter: the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions within the UN. We currently have a woman elected as the PGA, but sadly, she is only the fifth out of eighty PGAs since the establishment of the UN. Even more deserving of our attention, no woman has ever been the UN Secretary-General. ASEAN reiterates our call to encourage the nomination of women candidates for the positions of the PGA, the Secretary-General, and other executive heads of the UN. We must translate our commitment to gender equality into concrete actions through appointments in these important positions.

Madam President,

9. To conclude, ASEAN remains dedicated to advancing the Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly agenda. We look forward to working closely with the Co-Chairs and contributing constructively alongside Member States to further advance the bold reforms required to renew the General Assembly’s central role in global governance, ensuring it remains an effective, inclusive and accountable institution.

Thank you.