Mr. Chair,
Distinguished Representatives of the DGC,
Delegates,
Italy aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union on behalf of its Member States and would like to offer additional remarks in its national capacity.
First, we congratulate the new Chair of the Board, the Permanent Representative of Estonia, Ambassador Rein Tammsaar, and the incoming Vice-Chairs from Monaco, Lebanon, Djibouti, and Bolivia. Italy looks forward to engaging constructively with all of you and wishes you every success during this session and the upcoming one.
Dear colleagues,
We convene today at a particularly challenging time for the work of the DGC. The 80th anniversary of the United Nations this year highlights the many achievements of multilateralism over the past eight decades, even as we face intensifying humanitarian crises and conflicts, and ramping information manipulation and interference — including disinformation targeting the UN and its peacekeepers.
In this context, the DGC plays a crucial role not only in promoting information integrity but also in articulating why the UN remains vital after 80 years
— indeed, why it is more essential than ever.
For this reason, we strongly commend the DGC’s efforts to implement the Global Principles on Information Integrity globally, thus complementing our shared commitment to the implementation of the Pact for the Future and its annexes.
The Department’s work to streamline and modernize its operations is equally commendable. We welcome its exploration of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance content production and broaden outreach across multiple languages. In particular, we appreciate the development of ethical guidelines for AI use in UN communications and the establishment of an AI Innovations Lab within the News and Media Division.
Mr. Chair,
Italy is committed to strengthening its support for the work of the DGC and the Committee and to working with international partners to build more resilient societies.
Artificial intelligence, information integrity, and countering disinformation remain our top priorities. Last year, Italy was among the first European countries to adopt a national AI strategy and to pass a comprehensive draft law on the matter. Together, we must ensure that AI is developed and governed in an ethical, human-centered, and inclusive way—one that narrows the digital divide rather than widening it.
Moreover, Italy has been a steadfast supporter of the DGC’s #ActNow campaign among others. At the national level, in collaboration with the FAO, the European Commission, and other partners, we have conducted the Together for the SDGs campaign — an awareness-raising initiative with public events held in all major Italian cities.
Mr. Chair, Distinguished Representatives of the DGC,
We value the DGC’s efforts to disseminate information in non-official languages and appreciate the work of the UN Information Centre responsible for Italy. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with UNRIC Italy this year to inform our citizens about the UN’s 80th anniversary—a milestone that coincides with the 70th anniversary of Italy’s membership in the United Nations and with Italy’s candidature to the Human Rights Council for 2026-2028.
Looking ahead, we hope the DGC will provide broad coverage of the 2nd UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake, co-hosted by Ethiopia and Italy from July 27 to 29. This event will be key in advancing SDG 2, Zero Hunger, and accelerating the transformation toward sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems.
In conclusion, we thank the G77 and China, particularly the delegation of Thailand as facilitator, for preparing the zero draft of the resolutions under the item “Questions relating to information.” We trust the negotiation process will be smooth and constructive, enabling us to adopt a consensual text for the two annual resolutions.
Please count on Italy’s unwavering support for another successful session of the Committee on Information.
Thank you.
