While a recent initiative triggering a General Assembly meeting each time a Security Council veto is cast has yielded more scrutiny and given non-members a stronger voice, fresher and even more radical changes — including reform of the Council itself — are now critical, delegates stressed today, as the 193-member Assembly considered the application of that highly controversial tool.
Sport gives people the courage to see an opponent “not as an enemy, but as a partner in a shared endeavour”, the General Assembly heard today, as its President urged Member States to uphold the Olympic Truce — a “living metaphor” for peace at a time of escalating global tensions.
The United Nations has a slim window of opportunity to earn back public trust and burnish its global image — which is too often tarnished by the paralysis of its 15-member Security Council — the General Assembly heard today, as delegates warned that the Organization is widely judged by that most-headlined organ’s failure to end wars, prevent atrocity crimes and keep up with today’s emerging challenges.
The General Assembly today elected Alexander De Croo of Belgium as the next Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for a four-year term. The Russian Federation objected to confirming the appointment by acclamation and requested a recorded vote. The Assembly approved the nomination with 172 votes in favour to none against, with 1 abstention (Russian Federation). Mr. De Croo will serve from 2 December 2025 to 1 December 2029.
The General Assembly today adopted a resolution reaffirming its strong support for the indispensable role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), before concluding its resumed debates on that Agency’s work and that of the International Court of Justice.
As the General Assembly convened today, delegates heard that this year’s revitalization process is unfolding against the backdrop of a broader reform agenda under the UN80 Initiative — and that the two efforts are inseparable.
The General Assembly today, acting concurrently but independently with the Security Council, elected Judge Phoebe Okowa (Kenya) as a member of the International Court of Justice, over the course of four rounds of voting, conducted during two meetings.
The past year has been overshadowed by threats, attacks, and coercive measures against the International Criminal Court and its officials, delegates warned the General Assembly, while underscoring the body’s vital role in advancing accountability and delivering justice for victims of atrocities.
DOHA, QATAR (6 November) — As the Second World Summit for Social Development concluded today in Doha 30 years after the first was held in Copenhagen, speakers shared national experiences to alternately showcase progress or appeal for assistance — both in service of urging the international community to fulfil the promises made in both cities.
DOHA, QATAR (5 November) — At the World Summit for Social Development, delegates from all regions reaffirmed that true progress must place people at the centre, calling for stronger global solidarity, universal social protections and rights-based policies to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality and ensure that “no one is left behind”.
