New York, United States. Cyprus’ candidate to lead the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Andreas Kakouris, presented his vision during an informal dialogue at UN headquarters. He said the session opening in September will be critical as it coincides with the process to select a new UN secretary-general.
Focus on upcoming UN priorities
Addressing member states in a session convened by incumbent General Assembly president Annalena Baerbock, Kakouris said the session will also oversee implementation of the Pact for the Future, which is designed to address modern challenges including sustainability and governance of artificial intelligence.
Call for practical multilateralism and stewardship
“The United Nations is our collective home,” Kakouris said, adding that there is a responsibility to safeguard it “through practical multilateralism, restoring trust, strengthening delivery and ensuring it works for the benefit of all.”
He said the presidency of the General Assembly should be a “responsibility of stewardship” rather than “a platform for a single voice,” and stressed the need “to convene, to listen, to bridge differences, to pursue consensus.”
Cyprus’ role and approach to leadership
Kakouris described Cyprus as “a small island in the eastern Mediterranean” that acts as “a lighthouse” connecting Africa, Asia and Europe. He said the country was “neither north, south, east, or west, but all of these together.”
He pledged that, if elected, member states would have “a full-time president” committed to dialogue and inclusivity. “No one party has a monopoly on good ideas,” he said, adding that his approach to diplomacy had always been “to listen to people, not to speak to them from above.”
Restoring confidence in the United Nations
Kakouris said a central element of his approach is restoring confidence in the United Nations and shifting perceptions away from institutional paralysis.
He warned against allowing “a narrative of failure” to define the organisation, arguing that much of the UN’s work continues to deliver practical results despite perceived divisions within the Security Council.
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