"Multilateralism is no more an option. It is the need of the hour," Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the UNGA on Friday, calling for ensuring inclusive governance and emphasizing the need for more representation and participation by small states and developing countries.

by Ada Zhang

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- During the general debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that kicked off on Tuesday, world leaders and diplomats voiced strong support for improving global governance and upholding multilateralism.

"Multilateralism is no more an option. It is the need of the hour," Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the UNGA on Friday.

Sharif said Pakistan values strategic partnerships, highlighting cooperation with China through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor under the Belt and Road Initiative. Such initiatives, he said, "are contributors to our progress."

He said he "admires" the China-proposed Global Governance Initiative, which "offers a comprehensive framework for a more just, fair and inclusive development."

"Pakistan will always stand for peace, justice and development, for a revitalized United Nations and for cooperative multilateralism that is fair and inclusive," he said.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil echoed the call, stressing that his country supports the need for balance, justice and equality.

Gil also voiced support for the initiatives put forward by China to build a community with a shared future for humanity and warned against "a dangerous decline" of the United Nations.

Mauritian Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful said that for the multilateral decision-making system to stay relevant, the legitimacy of the UN has to be restored to better respond to the needs of all, particularly the Global South.

There is a need to build a global governance architecture through multilateral negotiations that will ensure the safe, secure, ethical and inclusive use of artificial intelligence, Ramful said.

"Resource and capacity constraints of developing economies have to be acknowledged and addressed. The digital divide should not be allowed to widen further," he said.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned that multilateralism is under strain and the concept of "might over right" risks once again becoming the norm in international relations.

The respect for territorial integrity and the peaceful resolution of disputes are deeply woven into the fabric of the international community and should not be compromised in the face of a changing world, he said.

Meanwhile, leaders also called for ensuring inclusive governance, emphasizing the need for more representation and participation by small states and developing countries.

The UN should be a platform for all the nations to "have our voices heard," said Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela, lamenting that small states and developing countries are often underrepresented and ignored when key decisions are made.

The world must double down on multilateralism in the face of unprecedented challenges, he said, voicing Malta's "deep commitment to the power of multilateral engagement."

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud told the UNGA on Thursday that people live "in a world of adverse competition and increasing governance uncertainty," while Africa remains underrepresented at the UN Security Council.

"It is imperative that we address an undeniable injustice in our multilateral system," he said. "True multilateralism and global legitimacy demand that Africa be fully included in the decision-making structures of the United Nations."

Kenyan President William Ruto called for an urgent reform of the global financial architecture and the UN itself at the UNGA on Thursday, declaring Africa's exclusion "unacceptable, unfair and grossly unjust."

"Africa is no longer willing to wait on the margins of global governance, while decisions about peace, security and development are made without our understanding, perspectives and voice," he said.