UNSC OPEN DEBATE ON 'MAINTENANCE OF INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY: THE UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATION: LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE'
Statement by H.E. Mr James Larsen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Australia to the United Nations
24 October 2025
President, the United Nations belongs to all of us – it was built and shaped by its Member States.
As we commemorate the UN’s 80th anniversary, we are reminded that it is every Member State’s responsibility to bring new strength to the UN’s enduring mission.
That is why Australia continues to renew its commitment to multilateralism.
But if we want the UN to have another 80 years, we must reform it.
President, as Australia looks to the future of this organisation, we are guided by three points:
First, we must all reaffirm our commitment to the UN Charter.
The Charter lays out a vision for a world governed by rules that are agreed between states.
These rules are the way we level the playing field for nations of all sizes.
They are how we ensure that the world is not governed by might or size alone, and enable small and medium countries to have a say. Australia believes in this vision.
That’s why Australia is pursuing a seat on the UN Security Council in 2029-30.
President,
Your statement on the UN’s 80th anniversary, agreed to by the Security Council, emphasised that the Council “reaffirms its commitment to the Charter”.
And yet, your Government continues its illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine in direct violation of the Charter.
We again call on your Government to match its words with action and end your illegal and immoral invasion.
Second, we must continue to work together to bolster the rules that protect us all, addressing the challenges of today and tomorrow.
Challenges that affect all of us, require all of us to solve them.
That’s why Australia is working with member states and humanitarian leaders to drive global action to protect humanitarian workers in conflict through a new Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel.
This Declaration has been endorsed by over 100 member states, and I encourage all states to join us in our efforts to protect those who dedicate their lives to protecting and supporting others.
Australia is also working with others to close digital divides through investing in capacity-building partnerships and resilient digital infrastructure across our region.
As all member states need to continue working with diverse stakeholders to ensure emerging technologies strengthen international peace and security, not undermine it.
Third, we need to ensure the UN system, including this Council, continues to serve us all.
While 80 years is a significant milestone, the true value of the United Nations is not measured in decades – but in deeds.
In actions that make a positive difference to people’s lives.
Ensuring a more effective UN will protect more people and deliver better outcomes for international peace and security.
The UN80 Initiative is a crucial opportunity to support a more effective UN – we must not waste this opportunity or get caught up in process.
It is essential that we ensure the UN system is responsive, affordable and capable of maintaining peace and security, human rights and sustainable development.
That’s why Australia is engaging along all three UN80 workstreams to drive ambitious reform, preserve core UN functions, and enhance delivery where it matters most.
President,
We must renew our commitment to the principle that peace is both our common cause and our collective responsibility.
Our shared mission as Member States must go beyond containing the threat of war to creating the conditions for lasting peace.
And the UN must evolve to meet today’s challenges with clarity, purpose and ambition.
Let us all recommit ourselves to the UN Charter, with a focus on the challenges that lie ahead.