In his remarks, Minister Nduhungirehe emphasized that as the United Nations turns 80, the promise of multilateralism remains within reach. He stressed that multilateralism is not an option but a necessity, recalling how global solidarity during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated what is possible when nations mobilize and coordinate on an unprecedented scale.

That same spirit, he underlined, should now guide efforts to confront climate change, with the upcoming COP30 in Brazil described as “a precious opportunity for action.”

The Minister further stated that multilateralism must go hand-in-hand with a fair and rules-based international order where all nations operate on equal footing. Without this, he cautioned, double standards take root and undermine the very foundations of cooperation.

He reiterated Rwanda’s consistent call for reform of the United Nations Security Council to reflect today’s realities, as well as reform of the international financial architecture.

Current systems, he noted, continue to project a disproportionately high perception of risk in the Global South, raising borrowing costs and limiting private sector investment.

“Global governance will remain global in name only if entire regions continue to be excluded,” he concluded, underscoring that the UN’s strength in the next eight decades will depend on how multilateralism is harnessed to meet today’s global challenges.