U.N. General Assembly Opens 81st Session as Guterres Warns the Multilateral System Is Straining

A new president and a trust theme

The United Nations General Assembly opened its 81st session in New York this week. Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh took the gavel from outgoing president Annalena Baerbock. The session theme is “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All.”

Rahman said, “This is not 1945. This is the 81st session. The world has moved on. The Organization must move on.” He listed priorities including peace and security, the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, climate action, human rights, and technology governance.

Guterres describes pressure on U.N. tools

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told delegates the multilateral system is under strain. He cited conflicts, nuclear-escalation risk, climate disruption, gaps in artificial-intelligence governance, record displacement, and cuts to humanitarian and development funding.

Guterres said institutions from the Security Council to the international financial architecture “are straining to meet the moment” and pledged support to Rahman. High-level debate later this month will bring heads of government to the same hall.