NEW YORK: Brunei has urged the international community to restore faith in multilateralism and address urgent global challenges, with a strong call for reform of the United Nations (UN) Security Council and justice for Palestine.
Delivering Brunei’s statement at the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly, Minister of Foreign Affairs II Datuk Seri Setia Erywan Mohd Yusof reflected on the Organisation’s eight decades of work in peace, development and human rights, while warning that divisions and inaction threaten its credibility.
He conveyed greetings from Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, congratulating Annalena Baerbock of Germany on assuming the presidency of the session, and praised UN Secretary-General António Guterres for steering the Organisation through turbulent times.
The Minister said the UN’s 80th anniversary was not just a commemoration, but “a solemn opportunity for reflection and renewal.”
He highlighted the Organisation’s achievements — from preventing conflicts and advancing global health to spearheading development goals and shaping international law.
“For small states like Brunei, which regained full independence in 1984, membership in the UN affirmed not only sovereignty, but dignity, equality and belonging within the family of nations,” he said, stressing that the UN remains the only forum where all nations, regardless of size, can stand as equals.
He also noted Brunei’s contributions to peace efforts, including humanitarian and peacekeeping missions in Aceh, Mindanao, Cambodia-Thailand, and Lebanon.
Regionally, he pointed to Asean’s role in promoting peace and prosperity, and reaffirmed Brunei’s commitment to environmental action through initiatives such as the Asean Centre for Climate Change.
Turning to global challenges, Erywan warned that the UN cannot ignore its shortcomings.
He singled out the Security Council for being “paralysed, restricted by veto, divided by interests, and mute in the face of grave injustice,” with Palestine as the most glaring example.
“The inaction undermines not only the Council’s credibility, but the very foundation of the United Nations,” he said.
Brunei, he added, supports reforms to make the Council more representative and accountable, and backs efforts to limit and eventually eliminate the veto power.
On the plight of Palestinians, the minister delivered one of the strongest appeals of his address, likening their suffering in Gaza to the darkest chapters of the last century. He condemned indiscriminate bombings, forced displacements and restrictions on basic needs, saying neutrality in the face of such suffering amounted to complicity.
“Recognising the State of Palestine, and supporting its full membership in the UN, is not a reward. It is an inherent right of the Palestinian people. It is a matter of principle, justice, and humanity,” he said, voicing Brunei’s support for the New York Declaration on Palestine endorsed at a recent high-level conference.
With the Assembly’s theme of “Better Together” in focus, the Minister underscored the importance of renewing multilateralism and strengthening the UN’s three pillars: peace and security, human rights, and development.
“For small states, multilateralism is not an option. It is our lifeline,” he stressed, warning that challenges such as climate change, pandemics and inequality cannot be addressed by nations acting alone.
He closed by recalling His Majesty the Sultan’s call at last year’s Summit of the Future for nations to uphold the UN Charter and international law “without prejudice or discrimination.”
“The United Nations at 80 is not only about history. It is about a promise — a promise to be better together,” Erywan said.
“Because the world is watching. Because the future is listening. And because together, only together, we will endure and keep the promise of ‘Never Again’.” - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
