President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović emphasized that Annalena Baerbock’s election as President of the eightieth General Assembly is “both historic and inspiring”, as she is only the fifth woman to hold the position.  The speech recalled trailblazers like Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, who “spoke with the voice of a liberated Asia”, and Angie Brooks, who “championed the rights of small States and women in Africa”.  With references also to Haya Rashed al-Khalifa and María Fernanda Espinosa, the message was clear:  “Each of them left a mark of their time,” and today’s election reinforces Europe’s role in defending human rights and multilateralism.

Reflecting on the UN’s founding, Montenegro declared it was “born from the ashes of the Second World War” and became “a beacon of hope for humanity”.  Cities like Warsaw were “reduced to ashes”, Berlin lay “in ruins”, and Podgorica was “virtually razed to the ground”.  Yet, amid devastation, leaders “looked to the future” and built an organization on the belief “that light could emerge from darkness and that solidarity could triumph over despair”.  Without the UN, “much of our collective progress” would remain out of reach, he said.

The President warned that “the absence of world war has not always meant the presence of genuine peace and prosperity”.  Multilateralism is “being tested like never before” by conflicts, “a wave of human rights violations”, polarization and disinformation. “Despite its imperfections, the United Nations remains the only global institution where every nation has a seat and a voice and where international law remains the basis for international legitimacy”, he also stressed.  This makes the UN “indispensable” in today’s fragile world, a foundation that must be defended and renewed.

Since regaining its own independence back in 2006, Montenegro has worked “hand in hand” with the UN, the President said.  He further called for courage, noting that “the United Nations must remain the cornerstone of peace; international law must prevail over force”.  Montenegro plans to join the European Union by 2028, a goal that is “firmly within our reach”, he said, adding that European Union integration is a catalyst for security of the European continent.  “Our task is not to be passive heirs of history, but active builders of a better legacy.”