Wednesday September 27, 2023
The General Debate of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) concluded Tuesday, with global leaders stating that the UN remains a paramount platform for crafting solutions to humanity's challenges.
In his concluding remarks, General Assembly President Dennis Francis underscored the unwavering dedication of the UN to bring peace, prosperity, and sustainability to the world.
"The United Nations remains focused on the collective challenges of our time," he said.Initial data suggest that this year's week-long UNGA saw the most significant in-person assembly of global leaders in New York since the onset of the pandemic.
The gathering included around 88 heads of state, 42 heads of government, and over 650 ministers. Top officials took advantage of this massive turnout and engaged in over 2,000 bilateral meetings.
The general debate opened at the UN headquarters in New York on Sept. 19, focusing on restoring global trust and solidarity in the current challenging times.
During the past week, the heads of state and government highlighted a range of challenges, from the urgent threat of climate change to concerns about the misuse of artificial intelligence.
They also stressed the central role of the United Nations and the need to reform the organization to make it fit for this purpose.
Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, reflecting on the event, observed a unified resolve among participants to attain the ambitious development goals, particularly as the world reaches the midpoint in the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Nations from the Horn of Africa passionately called for action to combat the imminent climate threat and to overhaul the currently outdated and unjust global financial framework.
Leaders from Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Eritrea depicted a bleak scenario of a world severely affected by climate change. Their message was unequivocal: The pressing crisis requires a swift and united effort.
This year, the theme of the general debate 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."
