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 Monday, the fifth and final day of the 2026 General Debate.
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“Enough with the bureaucracy!”
— Alexandra Hill Tinoco, foreign minister of El Salvador
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“Let us make restoring trust a process rather than a slogan.”
— Ahmed Attaf, foreign minister of Algeria
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“Managing transformation cannot mean managing change for some, while asking others merely to adapt to its consequences.”
— Vijitha Herath, foreign minister of Sri Lanka
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“Africa is not on the periphery.”
— Constant Serge Bounda, foreign minister of the Republic of Congo
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“Crises should be addressed at the roots, not simply managed.”
— Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates
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