Full Breakdown
Establishment of the Group of Friends of Global Governance at the UN
12/13/2025, 10:14:24 PM
Formation and Objectives
The Group of Friends of Global Governance was officially launched at the United Nations headquarters in New York on December 9, 2025. This initiative follows the introduction of the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) by Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Plus Meeting on September 1, 2025. The group comprises 43 founding members, including China, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cuba, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Laos, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Niger, Palestine, Senegal, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe. The founding members emphasize their commitment to upholding the principles established after World War II, particularly the central role of the UN, international law, and the norms governing international relations.
Core Principles and Vision
The GGI is anchored in five core principles: sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, a people-centered approach, and the importance of real actions. The group aims to address the under-representation of the Global South and the erosion of international law's authority. It seeks to foster dialogue and coordination on global governance issues, amplifying the collective voice of its members and responding to the aspirations of developing nations. The group invites all like-minded UN member states to join, reinforcing its commitment to a more equitable global governance system.
Official Statements & Responses
Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, highlighted the group's establishment as a response to growing pressures on multilateralism and global governance. He stated, “We must never forget the untold suffering that fascism and militarism once inflicted on people around the world,” emphasizing the need for a historical narrative that defends the outcomes of World War II and the UN's foundational principles. The group collectively called for a stronger, more efficient, and inclusive UN, stressing that the UN80 Initiative should prioritize the concerns of developing countries.
Criticism & Opposition
While the group has received support from various nations, there are concerns regarding the effectiveness of such initiatives in addressing the complex challenges of global governance. Critics argue that the focus on multilateralism may not adequately address the specific needs of individual nations, particularly those facing unique political or economic challenges.
What's Next
The Group of Friends of Global Governance plans to engage further with the UN80 Initiative, which aims to enhance the UN's effectiveness and efficiency after 80 years of operation. The group is poised to advocate for reforms that ensure equitable representation and participation of developing countries in UN processes, addressing the gaps that have historically marginalized these nations.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Global governance is a matter for all. It bears on the vital interests of every country and calls for everyone to participate, engage in decision-making and share the fruits.” — Guo Jiakun, Spokesperson, Chinese Foreign Ministry
- “We must promote the correct historical narrative of World War II, defend the victorious outcomes of the war, and safeguard the international system with the United Nations Charter at its core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter,” — Fu Cong, China's Permanent Representative to the UN
- “The Group of Friends of Global Governance is an open and inclusive platform.” — Fu Cong, China's Permanent Representative to the UN
- “A lot of problems we have now, it is difficult to do it alone. But in rethinking the global governance, through the Global Governance Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, I am really confident that we could really change the world, create a new era and live in a new international order,” — Zephyrin Maniratanga, Burundi's Permanent Representative to the UN
