81st UN General Assembly session opens in Turkey with call to restore trust
The 81st session of the UN General Assembly has opened in Turkey. Its president, Khalilur Rahman, called for restoring trust in multilateral cooperation, while UN Secretary-General António Guterres described restoring trust in the global system as “the defining challenge of our time,” Anadolu Agency reports.
Call to strengthen the UN
Rahman said that for more than eight decades, the UN has helped the world avoid a third world war. He also noted the organization’s daily work to provide food to millions of people, including refugees and other displaced persons, support peace and security, combat chronic diseases, and help countries address complex cross-border challenges.
At the same time, the president of the 81st session acknowledged that the UN has repeatedly fallen short of expectations. According to him, armed conflicts continue to cause significant suffering, development gains remain weak and unsustainable, and the effects of climate change are intensifying. Rahman noted that crises have deepened the trust deficit in international institutions and collective action.
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Session theme and Guterres’ position
The session’s theme was formulated as “Restoring Trust, Governing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All.” Rahman said that the responsibility lies not only in protecting the institution, but also in strengthening it and earning trust every day.
Guterres expressed support for Rahman and stressed that international institutions are under pressure from conflicts, risks of nuclear escalation, deepening poverty, climate shocks, and uncontrolled artificial intelligence. He called on General Assembly members to restore trust and good faith in international politics through diplomacy, dialogue, and cooperation.
