New York, September 14 – The UN General Assembly opened its 76th annual session with warnings of new Covid-19 cases and deaths, divisions between rich and poor, people fully vaccinated and those who cannot afford it, deepening poverty, and between children who can attend schools and those who cannot.
Pandemic restrictions are still being enforced and some heads of state and government will attend in-person while the majority will send pre-recorded speeches on videos will be aired to the vast assembly hall that in the past can sit up to 2,000 delegates. Most important meetings like summits on the food systems and climate change will be held virtually.
The White House said US President Joe Biden will deliver his speech in-person on September 21 when the 193-nation assembly begins a week-long political debate during which most UN members will speak virtually.
The White House said Biden will use his first address to the assembly to send to other world leaders the message of his presidency, “America is back,” to draw a sharp contrast with his predecessor especially when engaging with other world leaders.
Biden has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia and Japanese Premier Yoshihide Suga to meet with him while they attend UN meetings. The four countries formed an alliance known as The Quad, which is opposed to China’s policies particularly its naval activities in the South China Sea.
The new president of the 193-nation assembly, former foreign minister Abdulla Shahid of the Maldives, will preside the meetings with each country sending a delegation of three or four diplomats instead of six which was the case in the pre-pandemic years.
“We meet at a moment of great challenge and division,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. “Conflict and climate change. Deepening poverty, exclusion and inequality. These challenges are worsened by the divisions scarring our world. Divisions between the rich and poor. “
“Between those who take basic services for granted – nutrition, running water, accessible health care – and those for whom these essentials remain a distant dream.”
“These challenges and divisions are not a force of nature. They are man-made.”
Guterres called for ending “the wars on each other” and to focus on fighting the common enemy which is the pandemic. “The members of this Assembly must speak with one voice — we need peace, now,” he said.
UN Food Systems Summit, September 23
While attending the debate in the UN General Assembly, leaders of governments, business and international organizations can take part in discussion of the global food systems that failed during the pandemic, causing widespread hunger and malnutrition to millions of people worldwide. The summit aims at strengthening the systems toward a healthier, more sustainable and equitable food systems. Ending hunger and poverty is one of the Sustainable Development Goals, which the UN hopes can be achieved by 2030
Climate change, September 24
Leaders of governments, business, foundations and other organizations will hold a High-level Dialogue on Energy convened by the UN chief to try to iron out differences on energy issues and draw up a roadmap toward net-zero carbon emissions and universal energy access. The UN said the dialogue should provide an opportunity for governments, businesses and civil society organizations to present plans and commitments in the form of “Energy Compacts,” which is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate change.
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