Amid warnings that the United Nations risks becoming “the next League of Nations”, world leaders gathering for day three of the General Assembly’s general debate called for the Organization’s “reset” and voiced hope for peace and reconciliation.
Struggling to manage a world rife with conflict and emerging threats — from cyberattacks to drones to climate change — global leaders gathering for day two of the General Assembly’s general debate stressed the urgency of strengthening the Organization created eight decades ago to restore peace after two world wars.
Opening the general debate of the eightieth session of the General Assembly, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged leaders to choose between “a world of raw power — or a world of laws”.
A high-level General Assembly conference on the future status of Palestine concluded today with groundbreaking momentum as Heads of State and Government and other senior officials from 10 countries announced their recognition of an independent State of Palestine.
Ahead of its most high-profile week, the General Assembly today overwhelmingly voted to permit Palestine’s representatives to participate virtually in its eightieth session, following the denial of their entry visas by the host country.
Amid rising tensions across the Middle East, the General Assembly today adopted a text endorsing a landmark declaration concerning the realization of an independent State of Palestine, while Israel’s delegate rejected it as a “carefully staged performance for headlines”.
Calling the eightieth session of the General Assembly “non-ordinary”, the new President, Annalena Baerbock (Germany) urged action over celebration under the theme “Better Together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights”.
As the General Assembly concluded its seventy-ninth session today, outgoing President Philémon Yang (Cameroon) reflected on a term that took place “in a context marked by growing uncertainty”, amid the intensification of conflicts, a deepening climate crisis and calls for reforming the Security Council.
The Sixth Committee (Legal) today elected by acclamation Enrique A. Manalo (Philippines) as the Chair of its bureau for the eightieth session of the General Assembly.
The General Assembly today concluded the substantive work of its seventy-ninth session, adopting a series of resolutions and decisions on issues ranging from the revitalization of its work and the resumption of a high-level conference on Palestine statehood to cooperation between the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
