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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.
“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
“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
« 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
“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
“We don’t want our kids to share their intimate thoughts and feelings with an AI chatbot.
