The UN General Assembly’s annual debate has concluded with a call for a just and equitable multilateral system to overcome various global challenges, from the existential threat of climate change to the misuse of artificial intelligence.
Over the past week, the UN’s principal organ with universal membership heard Heads of States and Governments focused on restoring global trust and solidarity for crafting solutions to humanity's challenges.
In his concluding remarks, General Assembly President Dennis Francis on Tuesday stressed the need for unwavering dedication of the UN to bring peace, prosperity, and sustainability to the world.
Many speakers in the last day's debate bemoaned that though the small island and developing countries have contributed the least to climate change, they are at the front lines of its repercussions.
Since 19 September, around 88 heads of states, 42 heads of governments, including Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and over 650 ministers took the rostrum, taking stock of the state of the world as the Assembly launched its 78 sessions.
Top officials took advantage of this massive turnout to engage in more than 2,000 bilateral meetings. Besides, over 13,000 country delegates, 2,600 members of the media, and more than 40,000 other participants were registered for the general debate and its over 100 associated events
Dennis Francis (Trinidad and Tobago), Assembly President, delivered closing remarks, noting that the UN remains focused on the collective challenges of the present time.
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"With the planet being under siege, embracing climate action means safeguarding the Earth’s natural resources, preserving biodiversity and ensuring equitable access to clean air and water for all, he asserted, urging Member States to approach the twenty-eighth UN Climate Change Conference in the spirit of unity and solidarity and deliver a transformative plan of action.
Ministers and delegates voiced their concerns about the myriad of crises threatening the planet, including climate change, biodiversity loss, migration and forced displacement, while others pointed out that the intensification of conflicts in many parts of the world — together with natural hazards — are compromising the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar acknowledged the “exceptional period of turmoil” that the world is currently witnessing and referred to the structural inequities and uneven development.
He called for a fair, equitable and democratic international order, expressing concern over issues like vaccine apartheid, climate action and the misuse of market power.
“No individual State, even the most powerful or technologically advanced, has the capacity to face the global challenges on its own,” said San Marino’s delegate, sounding alarm over the increase of dangerous nuclear rhetoric and nuclear threats which “reinforce the image of a dark future instead of a sustainable one”.
Vanuatu’s delegate described climate change as the “defining existential challenge of our time”, which has set back decades of development progress, recalling that earlier in 2023, two cyclones hit his country with the total recovery needs estimated at 77 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).
His country’s experience with cascading natural hazards led it to incorporate disaster risk reduction into its development plans, he said, calling for the reform of the international financial architecture.
In the same vein, Ahmed Khaleel, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, citing the climate crisis as “a threat to security, to development and human rights”, detailed his country’s ambitious climate action plan aimed at conserving and protecting parts of its ocean, marine species and corals. As a “large ocean” State, the Maldives has an intrinsic responsibility to protect this vast resource, he said, calling for the development of an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution.
Echoing those concerns, Tandi Dorji, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bhutan, drew attention to increasingly frequent and ferocious natural hazards facing his country, including glacial lake outburst floods, flash floods, windstorms and landslides.
Against this backdrop, he called for additional climate financing, including to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar acknowledged the “exceptional period of turmoil” that the world is currently witnessing and referred to the structural inequities and uneven development.
He called for a fair, equitable and democratic international order, expressing concern over issues like vaccine apartheid, climate action and the misuse of market power.