They said it: Leaders at the UN, in their own words

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Many leaders saying many things about many topics that matter to them, to their regions, to the world: That’s what the U.N. General Assembly invariably produces each year.

And each year, certain voices dominate. Here, The Associated Press takes the opposite approach and spotlights some thoughts from leaders who might have not captured the headlines and airtime on Friday, the fourth day of the 2025 General Debate.

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“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.”

— Mia Mottley, prime minister of Barbados

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“Bhutan seeks to offer not only a spiritual event, but also a diplomatic and cultural contribution to world peace. For Bhutan, it is both a privilege and a prayer that in these turbulent times, the voice of a small Himalayan nation may help nurture the great cause of peace for all humanity.”

— Tshering Tobgay, prime minister of Bhutan, speaking about the Global Peace Prayer Festival his country is hosting in November

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“Civilized discourse, tempered with a patience and a calm, has given way to a bellicosity of language shouted across continents and oceans designed, presumably, to satisfy nativist longings in the breasts of those who think that, despite their good fortune, relatively, they have been grievously wronged by some dark and hidden forces.”

— Ralph E. Gonsalves, prime minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

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“The apparent disregard of the United Nations General Assembly decisions by some of the powerful members undermines the credibility and effectiveness of the United Nations.”

— Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane, prime minister of Lesotho

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“We don’t want our kids to share their intimate thoughts and feelings with an AI chatbot. … Just as society once set firm rules for smoking, drinking and wearing a seatbelt, we must now confront today’s challenge with equal clarity. … Digital tech is no different from any technology that needs to operate under health and safety principles.”

— Kyriakos Mitsotakis, prime minister of Greece

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Thursday:

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“Refugee-hosting should not become a debt bargain. Uganda should not be expected to borrow money to care for a displaced population fleeing conflict.”

— Jessica Alupo, vice president of Uganda

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“Millions of lives have already been lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. We therefore cannot afford to lose any more to conflict.”

— Mswati III, king of Eswatini

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“In Palau, we have a saying: ‘Ng di sengsongd e mrecherchii a klengoes’ —‘small twigs banded together can bring a pot to boil.’ This wisdom reminds us that even the smallest among us, when united and determined, can drive meaningful change.”

— Surangel Whipps Jr., president of Palau

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“Because they usually bear the brunt of unrests, women must always participate in discussions on conflict and peace.”

— Mohammed B.S. Jallow, vice president of Gambia

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“In case you’re thinking, ‘There goes another European who only wants to talk about European problems,’ let me assure you: That is not the case. If the U.N.’s 80 years have taught us anything, it’s that all the big issues are closely interlinked.”

— Dick Schoof, prime minister of the Netherlands

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Wednesday:

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“Small states are not inherently small. Our sovereignty is equal, and our responsibilities are the same. Leadership is not the loudest voice in the room. It is the clearest voice for justice.” —

— Julius Maada Bio, president of Sierra Leone

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“Rules shape behaviors to which the vast majority of international actors adhere. Even when they are breached, they provide a basis for accountability and enforcement. Rules are the voice of reason used in international relations. They are the best defense against the rule of the strongest. A world without rules is uncharted territory. A time without rules is returning to the Middle Ages.”

— Don Felipe VI, king of Spain

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“Institutions rarely fail because they lack vision or ideals. More often, they drift into irrelevance when they do not adapt, when they hesitate to act and when they lose legitimacy. To remain relevant, institutions must be re-imagined, reformed, renewed, and aligned with emerging realities.”

— William Ruto, president of Kenya

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“Brutality prevails. We simply cannot let this go on.”

— Alar Karis, president of Estonia

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“Peace is more than silencing the guns. It requires preventing new wars and breaking the cycles of violence from the past.”

— Zoran Milanović, president of Croatia

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Tuesday:

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“The United Nations must be a genuine unity of nations…. We are all really better together.”

— Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, president of Suriname

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“Our international order is being slowly eroded by the irresponsible actions of those who should know better. The world is turning into a much more dangerous place. We have seen this before.”

— Gitanas Nausėda, president of Lithuania

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“Not for the first time, developments on the ground have made me question the worth and utility of words in capturing the magnitude of the crisis. Yet, not speaking about it would signal acceptance of the situation and abandonment of our humanity — and that, I will not do.”

— Abdullah II, king of Jordan, on the Mideast situation

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“K culture is connecting people all over the world … the success and spread of K culture prove that universal empathy is possible.”

— Lee Jae Myung, president of South Korea

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“We are fighting wars that cause death and destruction when we should be fighting poverty.”

— Cyril Ramaphosa, president of South Africa

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