Amid rising challenges, Pakistan pushes for a stronger and more effective UN General Assembly

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 09 (APP): As the world wades through uniquely challenging times and realities, Pakistan has called for the robust revitalization of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), framing the 193-member body as the essential cornerstone for restoring global trust, protecting sovereign equality, and resolving mounting international disputes.

“Revitalization is not a procedural exercise alone; it is a political endeavour aimed at restoring balance, equity, and democratic participation in the Organization’s work, ” Pakistani delegate Ansar Shah told the Assembly during a debate on ‘Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly’.

Shah, a first secretary in the Pakistan Mission to the UN, said the General Assembly’s role in maintaining international peace and security is both broad and complementary to the Security Council. If the Council fails or refuses to act, the UN Charter fully empowers the Assembly to assume its responsibilities.

Pakistan, he said,  supports efforts to make the Assembly’s work more efficient through rationalizing the agenda, streamlining resolutions, improving report quality, and promoting action-oriented outcomes. “The Assembly’s limitations do not arise from procedure but from the reluctance of some Member States to allow it to fully exercise its Charter-based authority,” he said, while reaffirming central role within the United Nations.

Opening the debate, the President of the Assembly’s eighty-first session, Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh, said, “Revitalization is not change for its own sake. It is the discipline of preserving what works, reforming what does not, and directing our time and resources towards results.”

He added that, as the world wonders whether the United Nations works, “our answer must be found in mandates implemented, resources used responsibly and commitments honoured”.

In his remarks, Ansar Shah, the Pakistani delegate, noted that the Assembly’s work also extends to addressing the root causes of conflict and promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes, including through mediation and arbitration, in line with the Charter’s principles.

“For the Assembly to remain credible, its resolutions must be implemented in both letter and spirit,” he said, adding, “They carry not only moral authority but also legal and political weight, reflecting the collective will of the international community,” while stressing that all organs and member states must therefore respect and implement its decisions.

Shah reiterated Pakistan’s proposal to establish a dedicated mechanism to monitor the implementation of General Assembly resolutions, supported by regular, detailed Secretariat reporting in a bid to strengthen the Assembly’s effectiveness, accountability, and relevance.

“We also reaffirm that resolutions remain valid until their mandates have been fully implemented – a principle that underscores the enduring authority and continuing relevance of the Assembly’s decisions.”

The Pakistani delegate also emphasized the boost the institutional relationship between the General Assembly and the Security Council. “The Council must report to the Assembly more frequently and substantively, especially when acting under Chapter VII of the Charter (enforcement).”

In this regard, he welcomed the continued implementation of resolution 76/262, which provides for convening the Assembly within ten days following the use of a veto in the Council. “Such mechanisms are vital to promoting transparency, accountability, and the democratization of the United Nations system.”

Underlining the Assembly’s role in norm-setting and the progressive development of international, Shah pointed out that  It has long served as the most inclusive and legitimate forum for building international consensus and codifying global norms.

While Pakistan supports efforts to streamline the Assembly’s work to enhance efficiency and avoid duplication, such measures must not result in privileging one UN pillar over another, he said. The three pillars – peace and security, development, and human rights – were interdependent and merit balanced in the Assembly’s agenda.

On the appointment of the Secretary-General and executive heads, the Pakistani delegate said Pakistan reaffirms the principles of transparency, inclusivity, gender parity, and equitable regional representation, hoping that the process of the selection of the Secretary General will be concluded expeditiously to allow for a smooth transition.

The Assembly, he said, must remain at the centre of these discussions to ensure that global governance remains inclusive, equitable, and reflective of the priorities of all Member States.

“A revitalized General Assembly is essential to a revitalized United Nations,” the Pakistan delegate said in conclusion.