His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen
Ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam, and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Anisha
Rosnah binti Adam, attended the fifth day of the General Debate of the 81st Session of
the United Nations General Assembly today at the United Nations Headquarters in New
York, United States of America.
His Royal Highness delivered the National Statement of Brunei Darussalam at the
General Debate. His Royal Highness began his statement by conveying the warm
greetings of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan
and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam to the General Assembly. His Royal Highness
also congratulated His Excellency Dr. Khalilur Rahman on his election as President of the
81st Session of the General Assembly, expressed appreciation to Her Excellency
Annalena Baerbock for her leadership as President of the 80th Session of the General
Assembly, and to His Excellency António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United
Nations, for his service to the Organisation.
His Royal Highness reflected on the theme of the 81st Session, “Restoring Trust,
Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All”, and emphasised the
importance of rebuilding trust and confidence among nations.
His Royal Highness stated that, for Brunei Darussalam, multilateralism provides the
assurance that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States are respected, while
ensuring that every nation, regardless of size, has a voice. His Royal Highness stressed
that the Charter of the United Nations must remain a common foundation for all Member
States, with its principles upheld consistently to preserve the Organisation’s legitimacy
and credibility.
His Royal Highness highlighted the question of Palestine and expressed deep concern
over the continued suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank,
including the loss of lives among medics, journalists, humanitarian workers and United
Nations personnel. His Royal Highness called for international law and the principles of
the Charter to be applied equally to all.
His Royal Highness reaffirmed that a just and lasting peace requires addressing the root
cause of the conflict and realising the Palestinian people’s legitimate right to selfdetermination and an independent State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with
East Jerusalem as its capital. His Royal Highness noted that this remains a defining test
of the credibility of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council.
His Royal Highness also drew attention to the wider regional impact of the conflict,
including in Lebanon, where United Nations peacekeepers have also lost their lives while
carrying out their duties, and cited Brunei Darussalam’s co-sponsorship of the United
Nations Security Council Resolution 2823, which strengthens accountability for crimes
against United Nations peacekeepers.
His Royal Highness stressed the need to address emerging challenges, ranging from
conflicts and climate change to sustainable development and emerging technologies,
while ensuring that transformation must strengthen cooperation rather than deepens
divisions.
His Royal Highness cited ASEAN as an example of regional cooperation based on
dialogue, restraint and continued engagement. In marking the 50th anniversary of the
Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), His Royal Highness
underscored that its principles of respect for sovereignty, peaceful settlement of disputes,
non-interference and cooperation among States, reflect the fundamental principles of the
Charter of the United Nations. His Royal Highness further underscored that the TAC
reinforces the multilateral system, with ASEAN’s experience demonstrating the continued
relevance of institutions when rules are respected, dialogue remains open and differences
are managed peacefully.
His Royal Highness emphasised that the same principles should guide the United
Nations, with reform focused on strengthening the Organisation’s ability to prevent crises,
respond effectively to Member States and deliver meaningful outcomes for the people.
His Royal Highness, in this regard, reaffirmed Brunei Darussalam’s support for the Pact
for the Future and the UN80 Initiative, noting that reform should strengthen the efficiency,
credibility and effectiveness of the United Nations.
His Royal Highness then went on to underscore that a United Nations that delivers for all
must ultimately deliver for the people, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development. His Royal Highness highlighted Brunei Vision 2035, which focuses on
achieving an educated, highly skilled and accomplished people; a high quality of life; and
a dynamic and sustainable economy.
His Royal Highness noted that national progress goes beyond economic growth and
requires investing in people by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to adapt to
change. His Royal Highness further highlighted the importance of stability and
development in creating meaningful opportunities and enabling people to realise their full
potential.
His Royal Highness, in concluding his statement, stressed that restoring confidence in
the international system requires commitments to be honoured, international law to be
applied equally, sovereignty to be respected and dialogue to prevail over confrontation.
His Royal Highness stated that, “The world does not need another promise that we fail to
keep. It needs us to honour the promises we have already made,” underscoring that
fulfilling existing commitments is essential to restoring credibility, ensuring the continued
relevance of multilateralism and international law, and ultimately building a United Nations
that delivers for all. To this end, His Royal Highness reaffirmed Brunei Darussalam’s
readiness to play its part.
His Royal Highness, in the evening, met with His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al
Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab
Emirates at the private residence of His Highness in New York, United States of America.
Both sides exchanged views on bilateral matters of mutual interest, including cooperation
in trade and investment, tourism, renewable energy and digital infrastructure, as well as
exchanges of high-level visits.
