The 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly is holding its General Debate from the 24th to the 30th of this month. The Washington Post stated on the 23rd that “world leaders are meeting at the UN this week under extremely challenging circumstances.” Global conflicts, such as wars and deep geopolitical divisions, are destabilizing the world. According to the UAE’s The National on the 23rd, this is a complex moment for the United Nations, with issues like the conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan, and Gaza, along with concerns over climate change and the rise of artificial intelligence, expected to be the top concerns for global leaders. UN Security Council reform may also become an important discussion topic. According to the Associated Press on the 23rd, over 130 heads of state, government leaders, and dozens of ministerial representatives will participate in the General Debate. Ukrainian President Zelensky has traveled to New York again this year, with one of his main objectives being to present Ukraine’s “victory plan.” The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, now in its second year, saw a deadly escalation just before the General Debate, with Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killing 274 people and injuring 1,024. This was the largest cross-border escalation since the start of the conflict, according to Agence France-Presse. Many foreign media outlets have expressed skepticism about the prospects of the General Assembly resolving these pressing issues. Nonetheless, many political figures and scholars emphasize its importance. As UN News noted, world leaders and high-level representatives will seize this rare opportunity to present their countries’ foreign policies and seek solutions to global crises on this unique multilateral international stage.
“Leave No One Behind”
The Associated Press reported that the two-day United Nations Future Summit, which opened on the 22nd at the UN Headquarters in New York, serves as a prelude to the General Debate. The summit renewed the commitment to multilateralism, aiming to “begin repairing the aging global framework” to address a rapidly changing world. UN Secretary-General Guterres recently told reporters that the summit “was born out of the harsh reality that the pace of international challenges exceeds our ability to solve them.”
The Future Summit approved a key outcome document on the 22nd, titled The Future Pact. This document serves as a blueprint for addressing global challenges such as conflicts, climate change, artificial intelligence, and reforms to the UN and other global institutions. Its effectiveness will depend on the implementation by the 193 UN member states.
“The Future Summit focuses on enhancing international cooperation, but the reality is that the UN has not succeeded in its efforts in Gaza, Ukraine, or Sudan, revealing a significant gap between the two,” said Richard Gowan, Director of the International Crisis Group’s UN project. “These three wars will be the main topics attracting most attention this week.”
The New York Times noted that the UN itself has experienced a turbulent year. The death toll of UN staff in the Gaza conflict has reached a record 220. Humanitarian resources are stretched thin, with the UN struggling to meet rising demands caused by war, climate change, and natural disasters, resulting in a significant funding shortfall.
According to UN News, this year’s General Debate theme is “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress, and sustainability for all.” As per tradition, the UN Secretary-General will deliver the opening speech, followed by the President of the General Assembly. Since the 10th session of the UN General Assembly in 1955, Brazil has been the first country to speak, followed by the United States, as the host nation. The speaking order for the other 191 member states is determined by geographical balance, the level of representation, and country preferences. The invited attendees also include UN observer states such as the Vatican and Palestine, as well as the European Union, which holds observer status at the UN.
According to the Associated Press, a noteworthy moment this week will likely be U.S. President Biden’s address on Tuesday, which may be his last major appearance on the world stage during his presidency. On the same day, Iran’s newly appointed president, Peysheikhiyan, will address world leaders. French President Macron and UK Prime Minister Starmer will also attend this year. China and Russia are sending their foreign ministers to New York.
Three Security Council Meetings
“The UN is meeting amid escalating chaos and violence,” reported The New York Times on the 23rd. Since last year’s General Assembly, the world has plunged into deeper turmoil, with Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and the conflict in Sudan casting shadows over last year’s meeting. Now, the latest round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict has caused catastrophic humanitarian damage. Normally, the Security Council meets once during the General Assembly, but this year there will be three meetings, covering the Ukraine crisis, the Gaza war, and challenges in leadership during conflict. Analysts told The New York Times that there is little hope of easing the Ukraine conflict or the Middle East tensions during the General Assembly.
According to the Associated Press, Ukrainian President Zelensky will have two opportunities to take the spotlight this week. He is scheduled to speak at a high-level Security Council meeting organized by the U.S., France, Japan, Malta, South Korea, and the UK on Tuesday and will deliver his address to the General Assembly the following morning.
Before heading to New York, Zelensky visited Pennsylvania on the 22nd. The Associated Press reported that he toured an ammunition plant under tight security. After meeting with Democratic Congressman Cartwright in Pennsylvania, Zelensky’s message was clear: “Thank you, but we need more [ammunition].” According to multiple foreign media outlets, Zelensky said in a video message during his trip to the U.S. that this fall will determine the next direction of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He plans to present Ukraine’s “victory plan” in the U.S., stating that “President Biden will be the first to see the full plan.”
Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Poliansky, told the Russian news agency Sputnik that Russia is unaware of Ukraine’s “victory plan” and has not been invited to any discussions. He also remarked that Western countries still aim to center all UN discussions around the Ukraine crisis, which he finds “strange” given the multitude of global crises currently unfolding.
The Associated Press stated that last September, the focus of the General Debate was the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Zelensky. This year, with the one-year anniversary of the latest Israeli-Palestinian conflict approaching, attention will inevitably turn to the Gaza war and the escalation of the Israel-Lebanon conflict, which threatens to spread across the Middle East. Palestinian President Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu are scheduled to speak at the General Assembly on Thursday, although foreign media have noted uncertainty about Netanyahu’s attendance. Lebanese Prime Minister Mikati has already canceled his trip to New York.
On the 23rd, Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health announced that Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon that day had killed 274 people and injured 1,024. Agence France-Presse reported that Israel claimed to have struck around 800 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, while Hezbollah said it had hit three locations in northern Israel. Lebanese media reported that the country’s southern regions experienced more than 80 airstrikes in half an hour that morning.
According to CNN on the 23rd, residents in several areas of Lebanon received text messages from Israel urging them to evacuate immediately. Photos taken by CNN reporters showed long lines of cars fleeing to Beirut from various parts of Lebanon. Meanwhile, according to BBC reports on the 23rd, northern Israel remained on high alert, and residents were instructed not to gather in groups larger than 10.
Before the start of the General Debate, Guterres told the media that he feared “Lebanon could become another Gaza.” UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka stated on social media that the escalating tensions between Hezbollah and Israel have brought the Middle East to the brink of “disaster.”
“They Still Believe in the UN’s Vitality”
The Washington Post noted on the 23rd that while world leaders will once again call for the virtues of cooperation from the podium, the United Nations itself is struggling to handle the wave of challenges. The Security Council has been unable to stop the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the Middle East conflicts are putting pressure on the entire UN system. Cases against Israel and its officials are being heard at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, which are supported by the UN. These investigations have elicited polarized reactions, with some countries calling them necessary to uphold international law, while the U.S. and Israel have criticized them as biased.
However, according to the Russian weekly Arguments and Facts, former Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Kunadze noted in an interview that while issues like Ukraine and the Middle East dominate discussions, major topics like economic development, climate change, rising sea levels, and food security are also on the agenda. Even if agreements are hard to reach, the General Assembly’s meetings are significant because they provide a chance for countries to state their positions, hear those of others, and hold informal talks.
The Washington Post cited scholars from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, noting that despite doubts about the UN’s efficiency, the level of attention and effort member states have invested in reaching the Future Pact shows that they still value the UN and are willing to invest in its future. “They believe that the UN remains alive and well,” and that maintaining its vitality is of utmost importance.
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