UNITED NATIONS, Sep 22 (APP): World leaders begin convening Monday for a U.N. General Assembly which is certain to be dominated by wars in Gaza and Ukraine, rising Western recognition of Palestinian statehood and nuclear tensions with Iran.
“It’s an important session which marks UN’s 80th anniversary,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, said, adding that the Pakistani delegation, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, will play an active role on regional and global issues.
On his part, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “We are gathering in turbulent, even uncharted, waters,” warning that “international cooperation is straining under pressures unseen in our lifetimes.”
More than 150 heads of state or government along with dozens more ministers will take part in high-level General Debate which begins on Sept. 23 when US President Donald Trump will be among the first speakers.
Meanwhile, the New York police has implemented massive security measures, with thousands of officers and specialized units patrolling to protect the visiting heads of state and other dignitaries. Measures involve drones, helicopters, and harbour patrol units deployed around the UN Headquarters.
Prime Minister Shehbaz, who arrives in New York this afternoon, will address the 193-member Assembly on Sept 26, his third to the 193-member body.
The Prime Minister’s speech, according to a foreign office statement, will address the crisis in Gaza, the right to self-determination in Jammu and Kashmir, climate change, and other global concerns.
Ahead of the session, the UK, Canada and Australia formally recognized the State of Palestine, joining a growing number of Western nations that have moved in recent months to back Palestinian statehood as the war in Gaza grinds on.
Last week, the General Assembly adopted by a wide margin the “New York Declaration,” following a July conference also co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia. It called for “just and lasting peace grounded in international law and based on the two-state solution.”
On the Israeli war in Gaza, PM Sharif will call for decisive international action for a ceasefire to end the suffering of the Palestinian people in the besieged enclave. He will urge the international community to resolve “situations of prolonged occupation and denial of the right to self-determination,” with a particular focus on Palestine and Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
On climate change, the Pakistani leader will present Pakistan’s perspective on the issue, emphasizing the need for urgent global action.
The Prime Minister will also address the threat of terrorism and the rising tide of Islamophobia worldwide.
Also highlighted will be Pakistan’s viewpoint on achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) aimed at reducing poverty.
The prime minister will attend several high-level events on the sidelines of the UNGA session, including important meetings of the UN Security Council, High-Level Meeting of the Global Development Initiative (GDI), and a Special High-Level Event on Climate Action, among others.
“He will also participate in a meeting of select Islamic leaders with U.S. President Trump to exchange views on issues pertaining to regional and international peace and security,” the FO statement added.
The prime minister will have bilateral meetings on the sidelines with several world leaders and senior UN officials for exchange of views on key issues. He will also underline Pakistan’s resolve to work with all UN Member States to uphold the UN Charter, prevent conflict, foster peace, and promote global prosperity in Pakistan’s current role as a member of the Security Council.
“The Prime Minister’s participation in this biggest annual gathering of global leaders will showcase Pakistan’s strong commitment to multilateralism and the United Nations and to highlight Pakistan’s longstanding contribution towards the shared objectives of peace and development,” the statement added.
The new President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, only the fifth woman in the 80 year history of the UN to hold the position, will preside over the debate whose theme is: Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights.
On 22 September, world leaders will discuss the Beijing+30 Action Agenda which aims to achieve the following for all women and girls: a digital revolution, freedom from poverty, zero violence, full and equal decision-making power, an equal say in peace and security matters, as well as climate justice.
As the world struggles to keep temperature rises below the internationally agreed 1.5 Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a summit will be held on Wednesday, 24 September to take stock of the worrying pace and scale of the climate crisis across the globe.
World leaders will present their new national climate action plans, (known as Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs), country-level commitments which outline measures to address climate change.
The summit will also bring together leaders from government, business, and civil society to put forward ideas to drive action across mitigation, adaptation, finance and information integrity.
“This is our moment of opportunity,” said the UN chief.
The summit is taking place ahead of a key UN climate change conference, known as COP30, which will get under way in Brazil in November.
Artificial Intelligence or AI has been rapidly transforming the world including everything from self-driving cars to the analysis of medical images, from inventory management for businesses to financial trading algorithms and from virtual assistants to real-time language translation.
However, the benefits of AI are unevenly distributed, and many countries struggle to access the tools which could transform their societies by supporting development and improving the lives of ordinary people.
Its rapid expansion inevitably brings with it a host of risks and challenges, including threats to information accuracy and human rights, for example, surveillance.
Currently, there is no recognized body to govern AI on a global level, so world leaders are gathering in New York on 25 September to discuss a framework for inclusive and accountable AI governance.
“Without adequate guardrails, AI could further exacerbate inequalities and digital divides and disproportionately affect the most vulnerable. We must seize this historic opportunity…for the benefit of all humanity,” said Guterres, the UN chief.