総会再活性化作業部会「事務総長の選出・幹部人事及び総会議長室（OPGA）の強化」における吉田公使のステートメント

Distinguished Co-Chairs,
 
At the outset, I would like to express Japan’s sincere appreciation to the Co-Chairs, Ambassador Williams of Saint Kitts and Nevis and Ambassador Feruță of Romania, for their dedicated leadership throughout the eightieth session. We also appreciate the timely briefing by the Chef de Cabinet of the OPGA, Sofia Borges.
 
At this critical juncture as the United Nations undergoes reform and prepares to select its new leader this year, Japan reaffirms its conviction that the General Assembly, as the most inclusive and represented organ of the United Nations, must remain at the center of global deliberation. Allow me to address the two pillars before us today.
 
First, as we embark on the selection of the next SG, Japan underscores the need for both the Security Council and the General Assembly to proceed in full alignment with the provisions of resolution 79/327 and the joint letter from the PGA and the President of the Security Council. We remain committed to further enhancing transparency, inclusivity, and predictability in this process. In this regard, Japan stresses that principles articulated in the submission by former Japanese Ambassador Bessho (A/71/774-S/2017/93) should be revisited as it serves a good source of lessons learnt from the last selection and appointment process in 2016.
 
Japan emphasizes the pivotal function of the informal dialogues with candidates, which proved indispensable during the last selection cycle in ensuring the inclusivity of the process. In this regard, we look forward to the beginning of the dialogues scheduled for the week of 20^th April, as announced by the PGA. Webcasting must be provided for every candidate and archived on UN WebTV. We also encourage continued archiving on the dedicated website to ensure accessibility.
 
Regarding transparency and predictability, we expect the deliberation process for the new SG, including straw poll results at the Security Council to be communicated to all Member States in a transparent manner before presenting its recommendation to the GA. We also expect the schedule of the selection process to follow the decisions made in resolution 79/327.
 
Second, on the Office of the President of the General Assembly (OPGA), Japan recognizes the vital and increasingly significant role played by the OPGA in steering our collective work and building consensus. Japan has been supporting its work in various ways and pledges its continuous support in the years ahead.
 
In conclusion, Japan remains a steadfast advocate for an effective and vital General Assembly, and we will constructively engage in building upon the GA revitalization resolution 79/327.
 
I thank you.