Voices from the margins take center stage as UN General Assembly day four spotlights global challenges

Day four of the United Nations General Assembly’s 2025 General Debate produced a chorus of voices from countries not always at the top of the nightly headlines, each urging credible governance, mutual accountability, and a re-energized sense of international cooperation. In remarks that framed the session’s mood, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley warned that truth is the bedrock of trust, a theme that echoed across speeches from small states and regional powers alike. She said, “When we lose shared truth, our communities, our countries, our global society, loses our center of gravity. … Slowly, over time, we descend into political tribalism. We develop alternative realities, and we are unable to understand each other … then we grow suspicious of each other. In the absence of truth, trust deteriorates, and we see it all around us.”

The day also highlighted a range of regional priorities, from regional peace initiatives to the management of displacement and the urgency of safeguarding norms that constrain conflict. Bhutan’s Tshering Tobgay framed his country’s diplomacy as a blend of spiritual purpose and practical diplomacy, saying Bhutan seeks to offer not only a spiritual event but also a diplomatic and cultural contribution to world peace. He described the Global Peace Prayer Festival his country will host in November as a privilege and a prayer that a small Himalayan nation’s voice may help nurture the great cause of peace for all humanity. In a separate framing of international tone, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves lamented a drift away from civilized discourse, warning that bellicosity in language across continents and oceans seems designed to satisfy nativist longings among some who feel grievously wronged by hidden forces. The remarks touched a nerve about how rhetoric can affect trust at the international level.

The discussions also turned to accountability and the integrity of the international system. Lesotho’s Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane asserted that the apparent disregard of United Nations General Assembly decisions by some powerful members undermines the credibility and effectiveness of the United Nations. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis added a cautionary note about new technologies, arguing that digital tools require the same health and safety guardrails that govern other technologies, noting a need for clear societal standards in the wake of advances in artificial intelligence. Uganda’s Vice President Jessica Alupo pressed the point that refugee-hosting should not become a debt burden for nations that bear the brunt of displacement, while Eswatini’s King Mswati III warned that millions of lives have already been lost to the COVID-19 era and that the world cannot afford to lose more to conflict.

Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr. invoked a local saying that “small twigs banded together can bring a pot to boil” to illustrate that even the smallest states can drive meaningful change when they unite. He and others emphasized inclusive peace processes where women, in particular, must participate in discussions on conflict and peace, echoed by Gambia’s Vice President Mohammed B.S. Jallow.

A cross-section of leaders used their remarks to call for adherence to norms and for a reforming impulse targeted at making institutions more relevant to evolving realities. The Netherlands’ Dick Schoof—listed in the coverage as a popular reads figure in this context—stressed that developments on the ground have at times challenged the usefulness of words to convey crisis magnitude, but that not speaking out would be a abdication of humanity. Abdullah II of Jordan underscored a similar sentiment on the Middle East, arguing that not addressing the crises there would signal acceptance and surrender of responsibility. In another thread, South Korea’s President-elect Lee Jae Myung asserted that K culture demonstrates how universal empathy can spread when people connect, a nod to how soft power and cultural exchange can complement hard diplomacy. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa summarized the moral imperative: we are fighting wars that cause death and destruction when we should be fighting poverty.

A parallel thread of the day centered on the stability and legitimacy of international rules. Spain’s King Felipe VI joined others in stressing that rules shape behaviors and, even when breached, provide accountability and enforcement. They are the best defense against the rule of the strongest. Kenya’s President William Ruto cautioned that institutions fail not for lack of vision but when they resist reform and fail to adapt to emerging realities, arguing for renewed, reimagined relevance. Estonia’s President Alar Karis urged world leaders not to tolerate brutality and to insist on accountability for violations. Croatia’s President Zoran Milanović reminded delegates that peace requires more than silencing guns; it requires breaking cycles of violence and preventing new wars.

Suriname’s President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons reiterated that the United Nations must be a genuine unity of nations, while Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda warned that the international order is being eroded by irresponsible actions and that the world faces a more dangerous era than before. Jordan’s Abdullah II returned to the urgency of regional crisis, insisting that staying silent about the Mideast situation would amount to humanitarian surrender. South Korea’s emphasis on cultural connectivity was complemented by South Africa’s closing note that the world should be directing energy toward alleviating poverty beside stopping new wars. The fourth day of the debate thus stitched together a mosaic of warnings and prescriptions—from safeguarding truth and human rights to reforming institutions and expanding inclusive leadership—reflecting a world that remains deeply interconnected even as it grows more fractured.