81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly
Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly – Item 124
Statement delivered by H.E. Mr. Rein Tammsaar, Permanent Representative of Estonia to the UN on behalf of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency (ACT) group
8 October 2026, New York
President,
I am honoured to take the floor on behalf of the 27 members of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency (ACT) Group. [1]
At the outset, we would like to thank the co-chairs of the Working Group on the Strengthening and Revitalization of the Work of the General Assembly for the last session, Ambassadors Cornel Feruță and Mutryce Agatha Williams for their committed efforts on advancing the work of the working group.
In a period of rising geopolitical tensions and conflicts, repeated calls were made during the recent High-level Week of the General Assembly for a more effective multilateral system capable of addressing today’s multitude of crises and challenges, and which remains firmly underpinned by international law, including the rules and principles of the UN Charter.
As the most representative and chief deliberative organ of the United Nations, the role of the General Assembly is critical in this endeavour. The ACT Group has always maintained that in line with Chapter IV of the UN Charter, the General Assembly has a clear and active role to play in matters pertaining to international peace and security. A role we have seen becoming increasingly important, especially when the Security Council is unable to act.
The process of the strengthening and revitalization of the work of the General Assembly constitutes, therefore, an important avenue in empowering the GA in discharging its role as envisioned by the Charter. Allow me to emphasise the following points:
First, Emergency Special Sessions and the Veto Initiative have proven vital in ensuring accountability within the United Nations system and strengthening the role of the Assembly. Yet further opportunities exist to enhance that role, including by making concrete recommendations to Member States or to the Security Council as foreseen under Articles 10, 11, 12 and 35 of the Charter and in paragraph 6 of resolution 79/327. ACT encourages the Assembly to draw more systematically on its past practice in following up on debates held under the Veto Initiative, including through recommendations calling for a ceasefire and for humanitarian access, or requesting reports by the Secretary-General.
Second, in line with the Pact for the Future and the GA revitalization resolution the ACT Group reiterates the call for Security Council members to refrain from voting against resolutions aimed at preventing or ending the commission of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes, including by the misuse of the veto. We encourage the current 130 signatories to the ACT Code of Conduct to consistently adhere to their responsibilities. We urge all States that have not yet done so to join the Code of Conduct and reaffirm their commitment to its principles. We especially encourage signatories on the Council to work together to initiate relevant discussions and products.
Third, the ACT Group highlights the importance of ensuring the application of Article 27(3) of the UN Charter, which includes the obligation that members of the Security Council abstain from voting on decisions under Chapter VI and under paragraph 3 of Article 52 if they are a party to a dispute. Past years in particular have seen clear cases of non-observance of this obligatory Charter provision. We believe that the General Assembly has a role in ensuring observance of the Charter and look forward to working with all those with an interest in taking action to this end.
Fourth, a valuable resource for equipping the Assembly to take on its role is the “Assembly for Peace” digital handbook. We welcome the launch of the digital web-platform, developed by UN University Centre for Policy Research, which turned the 2024 Handbook into a fully interactive web-tool. We hope, President, that your Office will continue with its annual update and wider dissemination among Member States as encouraged in resolution 79/327.
Fifth, ACT supports efforts towards a more analytical, substantive and responsive Annual Report from the Security Council to the Assembly. In particular the Group finds that the report should provide greater transparency on situations where the Council could not act, including vetoes, failed draft resolutions and amendments, and the causes of deadlock. Also, more focus should be placed on how the Council decisions are implemented in practice, their effectiveness on the ground, and the lessons they generate.
President,
This year, the General Assembly will appoint the next Secretary General for this organization upon the recommendation of the Security Council.
ACT has consistently advocated for a selection process that is transparent, inclusive and structured. The role of the President of the General Assembly has been and continues to be critical in this, including in organizing the interactive dialogues with all the candidates presented and before being considered by the Security Council. The Group also notes the possibility for the General Assembly to hold an additional interactive session with any candidate recommended by the Security Council, ensuring continued engagement with the membership prior to its formal appointment decision.
Given that the next Secretary-General will be the Secretary-General of the entire United Nations membership, it is important that all Member States have a meaningful opportunity to engage with the candidates and contribute to a process that inspires confidence. We continue also to encourage the PGA to assess the level of GA support for the candidates.
As we are approaching the final stages of the selection and appointment process, the ACT continues to emphasise the following:
Given the multitude of issues and challenges facing the organisation, not least the ongoing UN80 reform process, the next Secretary General needs to have sufficient time to prepare for the office. With less than three months to go, to build a team and set priorities, time for preparations is getting tight. We, therefore, hope that the selection process in the Council will be finalised without delay, noting the 1 October timeline long advocated for by the ACT Group is now overdue. A timely appointment is also important for giving the Assembly sufficient time to consider the Council’s recommendation made by the Council before making the appointment decision.
The ACT group continues to encourage the Security Council to present two or more candidates for the consideration of the GA.
The GA revitalization resolution rightly notes with regret that no woman has ever held the position of UN Secretary General. ACT is pleased to note the strong representation of women candidates, a visible demonstration of Member States’ commitment to inclusivity and gender equality at the highest level.
I thank you.
[1] Austria, Chile, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Gabon, Ghana, Hungary, Ireland, Jordan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Maldives, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Portugal, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay.