What did General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman say at the opening of the UNGA 81 general debate?
Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh, President of the 81st General Assembly, opened the general debate by saying people no longer ask whether the UN exists but whether it works, and called for honest reform, a permanent place for Africa on the Security Council, and guardrails for AI.
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He opened the general debate on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, straight after the Secretary-General.
The speech in brief
- Does the UN work? Survival is not success, he said. The UN has to show that it delivers.
- Three reforms. Honest acknowledgment of failures, deep structural reform rather than budget fixes, and a bigger role for business, scientists and civil society.
- Money. Development aid has fallen sharply while military spending nears $3 trillion.
- Wars. He named Sudan, Gaza, Ukraine, Myanmar, the Middle East and Haiti, and said the war in Gaza has left over 70,000 people dead, including thousands of children.
- His own country. He spoke of the UN team in Cox’s Bazar caring for Rohingya refugees who want to return to Myanmar.
- Africa. He called Africa’s place on the Council a matter of “fairness, justice and credibility.”
In his own words
Outside these walls, people are not asking whether the United Nations still exists. They are asking whether it works.
“Trust is not given. It is earned.”
“Africa needs to be at the table, not on the menu. Africa cannot be asked to wait indefinitely for its rightful place on the Council.”
“We cannot continue treating a chronic ailment with temporary painkillers when what we need is a deeper diagnosis.”
“We need to keep the doors of the UN unlocked to those developing and using AI. Not someday. Now.”
“Here we are, at the beginning of the UN’s ninth decade.”
Worth knowing
- He is Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, elected President of the General Assembly for the 81st session, which opened on September 8, 2026.
Watch and read the full speech
The UN’s own video of the whole Day 1 session:
Watch Day 1 of the UNGA 81 general debate on the UN’s YouTube channel
UN Web TVWatch Day 1 of the general debate on UN Web TV
Read the full text on the General Assembly President’s website.
The UN posts the statement on its general debate website.
Every Day 1 speaker, in order: What happened on Day 1 of UNGA 81.
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