It is about time for the United Nations – the world’s largest multilateral body - to be headed by a woman for the first time since its founding nearly 80 years ago. This was the overwhelming position of delegates today at the General Assembly as the 193-member organ observed its annual consideration of the revitalization of the body’s work. They also addressed concerning aspects of the Assembly’s functioning and relationship with other organs.
Protection of civilians in conflicts where violations run rampant has been a top priority for the Human Rights Council, the body’s chief told the General Assembly today, as Member States called the humanitarian situation in Gaza a “disgrace” to the entire international human rights order.
The General Assembly today reiterated its call on the United States to end its economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba, as Cuba’s Minister for Foreign Affairs called the blockade against his Government “commercial warfare” and “a crime of genocide”.
Consistent with the solidarity demonstrated over the past three decades, delegates at the General Assembly today added yet another feather of support to multilateralism’s cap regarding the lifting of the United States’ 62-year-old economic, commercial and financial sanctions against the Government and people of Cuba.
Speaking before the General Assembly for the first time since her election in March, Tomoko Akane, President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), said the past year has been marked by an unparalleled increase in demand for the Court’s work, along with unprecedented levels of threats, pressures and coercive measures which pose a serious threat to administering justice.
The General Assembly today, amidst several demands, called for increased funding for the operations of the International Court of Justice, as it debated pressing legal issues worldwide.
Guaranteeing the world’s future justice framework and capabilities for preventing and addressing a recurrence of atrocious crimes is critical and should be supported in all ways possible, submitted Graciela Gatti Santana, President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, as she made a strong case for the continued functioning of the Mechanism, albeit in its residual phase.
The General Assembly held its annual debate today on nuclear energy in which the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says interest across the globe is growing for myriad purposes such as electricity generation and water desalination — while Member States debated over pockets of nuclear safety concern from Ukraine to Iran and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Calling attention to the debt distress, food insecurity and violent conflict plaguing Africa, speakers in the General Assembly today called for heightened multilateral efforts to support the continent as it pursues a transformational agenda.
The General Assembly today elected 18 members to the Human Rights Council for the 2025-2027 term, adopted a resolution on matters regarding the assessment scale for distributing the costs of the United Nations' expenses and concluded its debate on last month’s high-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance.
