On the occasion of the 73rd United Nation General Assembly, the S&D leader Udo Bullmann and the S&D vice-presidents responsible for foreign affairs, Elena Valenciano and Victor Boştinaru, made the following statement: 

 

“It is a crucial time for multilateralism and the United Nations. With the unprecedented challenges the world is facing today, such as climate change or migration, we need a stronger United Nations more than ever. As Socialists & Democrats, we have always supported a global rule-based order that was created after World War II.  It is not a secret that some actors are seeking to destroy it. That is why we urge the EU leaders to invest even more energy in the partnership between the EU and the UN. EU has no choice but to take on leadership of a rules-based international order with like-minded partners.

 

“Strong EU-UN cooperation should focus on interlinked and mutually reinforcing priorities like peace and conflict prevention, and a common positive agenda with the promotion and protection of human rights at the heart of multilateralism. As Socialists and Democrats, we are deeply committed to promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) both in the EU and around the world.

 

“We also actively support the UN Secretary General António Guterres's ambitious reform agenda, including the vital reform of the Security Council. We call on the EU member states seated in the Security Council to take the lead in this reform process.”