The UN General Assembly (UNGA) just concluded its seventy-eighth session, and it addresses several global issues relating to probable nuclear conflict in the world, climate change and the earth negotiation, regulation to ensure technology facilitates development, effective vaccine against tuberculosis, commitment to achieve sustainable development goals, to build prosperous peaceful future for the mankind, commitment towards advancing peace, prosperity, and sustainability, emphasize on global cooperation for world’s survival.
The newly-elected President of General Assembly Dennis Francis (Trinidad and Tobago) made a call on the member states to come together and to commit to advancing the causes of peace, prosperity, and sustainability in the face of a world.
As the session has just been concluded, a few issues came into the limelight for consideration. The current situation demands action to build a world of hope that leaves no one behind. This General Assembly needs to be used as a proving ground for multilateralism which should be more participatory. There are global challenges, however, the world leaders must come forward for action. There is no time for pessimism.
In relation to climate change, a surge in action is demanded. Temperature is increasing everyday as the climate breakdown has begun. Our climate is collapsing faster and hence, the leaders need to come forward for bringing climate solutions. Cimate chaos still can be avoided if we don’t waste single moment from now on.
The General Assembly decided to include a range of new items on its agenda, including the “Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction” — a historic maritime biodiversity treaty adopted on 19 June by the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction. A sweeping political declaration was adopted that reaffirms the shared commitment of the world leaders to end poverty and hunger everywhere. This declaration is aimed at combatting inequalities within and among countries and building peaceful societies that leave no one behind.
This declaration was crucial as global crises including armed conflict, adverse climate impacts and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are threatening the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. For achieving the goals of SDG, a global rescue plan is required.
The world leaders have been urged to invest in development like never before as people want decisive action and meaningful progress. There is no place for excuses.
The international community seems incapable of coming together to respond to growing global challenges and rising geopolitical tensions. In the context of Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine which unleashed a nexus of horror, it has been agreed that it is time for global compromise.
The world should not pretend that Africa’s present day economic and social conditions are not connected with historical injustices. The world leaders urged the need to bridge the gap between developed and developing countries.
The General Assembly also adopted a landmark political declaration calling for strengthening high-level international coordination to improve pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
Developing resilience and handling the adverse impact of climate change should be an urgent priority for all. No meaningful climate action or development can take place in conditions of financial distress.
More than a dozen Heads of State and Government raised voice for concrete climate measures. Mere promises are not enough. There is a need for reforming global financial institutions and unlocking funds for developing countries to allow them to catch up on the path to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
The current exclusionary architecture, dominated by a few states, is failing to deliver the requisite resources.
The leaders urged action and regulation to ensure technology facilitates development.
Recommitting to universal health coverage, member states also endorsed a political declaration proclaiming that every human being has the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. In this new declaration, member states also recognized that universal health coverage is fundamental to achieving the SDGs.
It has been warned that rising distrust and divisions are crumbling international cooperation. This is turning the multilateral system dysfunctional. A nuclear conflict is very close, and the powerful countries are pushing the world to the verge of a nuclear conflict.
Several heads of state and government, as well as ministers, raised their voice about their concerns regarding the world’s current trajectory.