The president of the General Assembly announced that he and the president of the Security Council signed a joint letter formally initiating the selection and appointment process for the next United Nations secretary-general. "The president of the Security Council, ambassador Michael Imran Khanu of Sierra Leone, and I as president of the General Assembly signed the joint letter, which formally initiates the selection and appointment," he said.

The assembly president told delegates the world expects the next leader to provide "strong, dedicated, and effective leadership" across the United Nations’ three pillars: peace and security, human rights and development. He said the selection should help "make the United Nations fit for the future." The remarks framed the choice as consequential for the institution’s credibility and ability to carry out its mandates.

The joint letter, the president said, reflects procedural changes and aligns with the most recent resolution on revitalization of the General Assembly’s work. It calls on member states to "strongly consider nominating women as candidates for the position of secretary-general," emphasizes the importance of regional diversity among nominees, requires more transparent campaign disclosures and includes provisions on the withdrawal of candidates.

On representation, the president stressed the symbolic and practical importance of inclusion, noting that the choice will signal "whether we truly serve all the people of the world," and pointed out that roughly half the world’s population are women and girls. He linked the selection process to broader commitments on transparency and inclusivity: "the decision about the future leadership of this organization is also about credibility, to practice what we preach on transparency and inclusivity," he said, adding that the decision "does not only concern a few, but all of us in and outside the United Nations."

The statement did not specify a timeline, candidate names or additional procedural steps beyond the signing of the joint letter. No votes or formal appointments were recorded in the provided remarks. The joint letter serves as the official initiation of the selection process as described by the president of the General Assembly.