The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe, has called for a fairer and more inclusive global governance system, emphasizing that multilateralism must be anchored in a rules-based international order where all nations stand on equal footing.

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Speaking on Thursday, September 25, at the 18th Ministerial Meeting of the Global Governance Group (3GMM), held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Nduhungirehe cautioned that double standards and exclusion threaten to undermine the foundations of international cooperation.

"As the United Nations turns 80, the promise of multilateralism remains within reach,” he said. "The crises of recent years have shown us that multilateralism is not an option, but a necessity.”

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Drawing from past global experiences, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, the minister underscored the power of collective action.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, we witnessed what is possible when nations mobilize and coordinate on an unprecedented scale,” he noted. "That same spirit should now guide us as we confront the threat of climate change, with the upcoming COP30 in Brazil offering a precious opportunity for action.”

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Nduhungirehe reiterated Rwanda’s longstanding call for a rules-based global order that does not privilege a few nations over others.

"Multilateralism must also go hand-in-hand with a fair and rules-based international order, where all nations operate on equal footing. Without this, double standards take root, and the very foundations of our cooperation begin to erode.”

However, he expressed concern that inclusivity in decision-making remains elusive. "Yet, the rooms where global decisions are made still lack fair representation,” he pointed out. "As long as entire regions remain excluded, global governance will remain global in name only.”

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The minister also highlighted Rwanda’s advocacy for reforming key institutions to reflect today’s realities rather than outdated structures.

"Rwanda has therefore consistently called for reform of the Security Council, so that it reflects today’s realities rather than the world of 1945,” he said. "We also advocate for the reform of the international financial architecture, which continues to convey a disproportionately high perception of risk in the Global South.”

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According to him, such perceptions stifle development by restricting investment and inflating borrowing costs for industries and the private sector. "This continues to limit investment and raise borrowing costs for our industries and private sector,” Nduhungirehe observed.

He stressed that the future strength of the United Nations will depend on its ability to embrace reform and inclusivity. "In sum, the strength of our organization in the next eight decades will depend on how we harness multilateralism to meet the challenges before us.”