{"id":292737,"date":"2026-04-20T13:24:38","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T17:24:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/80\/?p=292737"},"modified":"2026-04-20T13:31:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T17:31:35","slug":"pga-remarks-at-the-un-permanent-forum-on-indigenous-issues-25th-session","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/80\/2026\/04\/20\/pga-remarks-at-the-un-permanent-forum-on-indigenous-issues-25th-session\/","title":{"rendered":"PGA Remarks at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, 25th session"},"content":{"rendered":"

Remarks by H.E. Annalena Baerbock<\/strong><\/p>\n

President of the 80th<\/sup> Session of the United Nations General Assembly<\/strong><\/p>\n

at the <\/strong>Opening Ceremony of the <\/strong><\/p>\n

25th<\/sup> Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues<\/strong><\/p>\n

20 April 2026, General Assembly Hall<\/strong><\/p>\n

[As Delivered]<\/strong><\/p>\n

Excellencies,
\nLadies and gentlemen,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is an honor to join you today at the 25th<\/sup> Session on the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And frankly speaking, on hardly any other day, do we see this General Assembly Hall as colorful as today.<\/p>\n

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So, I thank you deeply.<\/p>\n

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One of the representatives here today, I met two years ago, Dona Nena, founder of \u201cFilha do Combu\u201d in the rainforest near Bel\u00e9m, Brazil.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In her small home, she used products from the rainforest to make chocolate to support mainly her family.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When I visited her again this past November on the sidelines of COP30, I hardly could recognize her business.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was still the same house.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But her work had grown into a thriving business, reaching new markets, empowering indigenous women in her community, and scaling sustainable solutions.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Through her entrepreneurship, she strengthened her community while preserving her home\u2014the Amazon rainforest, a clear win-win for people and planet.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I was reminded of Dona Nena again last week when we had the honor to listen to the singer Teekes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His music is not only fantastic \u2013 so you should listen to it – but it celebrates his Indigenous M\u0101ori culture, while also inspiring others.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Inspiring pride, recognition, and respect for Indigenous Peoples around the world.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Even 13,000 kilometers apart, Dona Nena and Teekes, both of their missions are the same: to honor their cultures while bringing Indigenous identities to the global stage, with global technologies.<\/p>\n

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And this is why, 25 years after the first UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, our responsibility today is not to speak about<\/em> Indigenous Peoples, about<\/em> you or for<\/em> you.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But to amplify your <\/em>voices.
\nTo join with your<\/em> hands<\/p>\n

Embrace your<\/em> leadership.<\/p>\n

And value your<\/em> knowledge and culture\u2014not only for your communities, but for the benefit of all societies.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This is especially true when it comes to the protection of our environment and our planet.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Because people like Dona Nena know the rainforest best and they know how to protect it while using it in a sustainable way.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is estimated that over 5,000 Indigenous groups manage or protect around 80 percent of the world\u2019s biodiversity.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That means knowledge and skills\u2014developed over generations\u2014which offer indispensable insights for sustainable resource management and climate resilience.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Indigenous Peoples are, in many ways, our planet\u2019s life support.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And yet, those who protect the Earth are too often left to bear the greatest cost of its destruction.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For Indigenous Peoples, climate change is not theoretical.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is already at their – at your<\/em> – doorsteps.<\/p>\n

It means rivers that dry up.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Crops that fail.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And ancestral lands destroyed by floods.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At the same time, Indigenous lands are increasingly targeted for mining, logging, and other infrastructure projects, destroying ecosystems and heritage alike.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Indigenous human rights defenders in particular face intimidation, legal harassment, and even physical violence for defending their rights and their lands.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But Indigenous Peoples \u2013 you<\/em> – are not backing down.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

You are standing up bravely even in the face of grave threats.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So again, 25 years after the first Indigenous Forum meeting, it is our joint responsibility to stand united with you, to stand united with indigenous peoples.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It also means harnessing new technologies\u2014such as drones and artificial intelligence\u2014to support Indigenous communities in protecting their land, defending their homes, and preserving their way of life.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Yet today, more than 476 million Indigenous Peoples around the world continue to face marginalization, discrimination, and economic disadvantage.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And nowhere are these inequalities more evident than in health\u2014the main focus of this year\u2019s session.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For Indigenous Peoples, health is holistic\u2014it is physical, mental, cultural, environmental, and communal.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Yet for many, that connection has been disrupted\u2014by land loss, displacement, and marginalization.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The result is stark: higher rates of illness, malnutrition, and preventable disease\u2014and also life expectancies that can be up to 20 years shorter.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Indigenous women face particularly acute risks, including disproportionately high maternal and infant mortality rates.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This is not only a moral failure; it is a development failure.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples is both a measure of our progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, and a condition for achieving them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addressing these challenges requires full respect for Indigenous Peoples\u2019 rights, their knowledge, and their culturally grounded solutions.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ladies and gentlemen,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As we approach the 20th<\/sup> anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, we are presented with a critical opportunity.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

An opportunity not only to reflect on two decades of progress\u2014but to accelerate implementation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To move together from commitments to concrete action, in the spirit of the theme of this 80th<\/sup> session of the General Assembly: Better Together.<\/p>\n

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To ensure that the principles of the Declaration translate into real, measurable improvement in Indigenous people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Central to this is recognizing Indigenous Peoples as rights-holders and ensuring their meaningful participation in all decision-making processes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After all, solutions will only be sustainable if every member of the human family has the opportunity to thrive.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

During my visit to Brazil, I learned, among many other things, an Indigenous maxim: in the forest, if one tree\u2019s roots are too extensive, both the surrounding trees\u2014and eventually the tree itself\u2014will suffer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nature reminds us of an enduring truth: our own safety, security, and well-being are only as strong as that of our fellow human beings.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Let us carry that lesson forward through the discussions in the days ahead, as we work together to advance the rights, the health, and dignity of Indigenous Peoples \u2013 as for all peoples, in the understanding of always being Better Together.<\/p>\n

I thank you.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Watch Full Broadcast Here<\/a><\/p>\n

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