German Foreign Minister Calls on UN to Make Progress in Resolving Global Crises
Germany has called on the United Nations to make progress in efforts to end wars such as the conflict in Ukraine, as well as conflicts in the Near and Middle East.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadefohl, before departing for New York to participate in the General Assembly’s general debate, stated: “When the international community gathers in New York these days, it should not be limited to merely cataloging all crises, conflicts, and wars.” He urged all officials to be prepared to “seriously fight for every step, no matter how small, toward a solution.”
Wadefohl criticized the approach of continuous escalation, which has replaced the aspiration for sustainable, conflict-free coexistence. In contrast, he pointed to a “commitment to unite our efforts so that it becomes possible to change course,” adding that Germany would work to overcome the “conspiracy of silence” among conflict parties.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will be absent from the international meeting in New York, attended by heads of state and government. Merz canceled his scheduled trip following his Christian Democratic Union’s significant electoral defeat in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The Chancellor’s agenda for Monday includes reviewing the implications of election results in the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin. Wadefohl will represent Germany at the United Nations alongside Environment Minister Carsten Schneider and Minister for Development, Rim Al-Abdali Radovan.
In a related development, Wadefohl called for “bringing Moscow to the realization that the time has come to engage in a serious negotiation process,” adding that Russia is threatening EU and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states more clearly than ever before.
The minister noted that consultations are scheduled on how the United Nations can assume greater responsibility for maritime security, for example in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab, where Iran and Tehran-backed Houthi militias have kept “free trade arteries under a stranglehold for months.”
Wadefohl is scheduled to participate in New York (local time) today in a meeting with his counterparts from the Group of Seven (G7) countries to continue deepening partnerships. He stated that the general debate offers opportunities “not provided by any other forum” for broad international coordination on major challenges. Alongside Germany, the G7 includes France, Italy, Japan, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
