UN General Assembly Pact for the Future is a wake-up call for the UN, says Amherd

According to President Viola Amherd, the UN's Pact for the Future is a wake-up call to strengthen the commitment to multilateralism. At the "Summit on the Future" on Sunday at the UN in New York, Amherd emphasized the importance of the United Nations.

"To drive forward the necessary UN reforms, we not only need a strong political will, we also need to restore trust," said Amherd in New York.

The United Nations Charter, which came into force 80 years ago, established a general prohibition on the use of force and respect for human rights and laid the foundations for international cooperation. "The Charter was visionary and remains so to this day," said the President of the Swiss Confederation.

Today, more than ever, UN members must follow the example of their predecessors. This goes hand in hand with the obligation of states to work towards a more stable, just and peaceful world.

Painful compromises

In order to make the pact acceptable to a majority, everyone had to make compromises, some of them painful. "As members of the international community, it is our duty to work together across our differences and ensure that our common future is not determined solely by national self-interest," said Amherd.

The Summit of the Future, at which the UN member states adopted the Compact for the Future, is an attempt by the Secretary-General to reinvigorate global action and further develop the framework of multilateralism so that it is equipped for the future.

Three months left on the Security Council

Switzerland could strengthen the UN by constantly reiterating the importance of multilateralism and making a strong commitment to human rights and peacebuilding, Amherd told the Keystone-SDA news agency in New York.

The President of the Swiss Confederation is still in New York until Wednesday as part of the opening of the 79th UN General Assembly. On Monday she will take part in an event on strengthening the role of women in Afghanistan. On Tuesday, the President of the Swiss Confederation will deliver Switzerland's address to the General Assembly. On Wednesday, she will take part in a Security Council meeting on "Leadership for Peace". Switzerland is a member of the Security Council until the end of 2024.

SDA