The Beginnings of the United Nations General Assembly's Crucial Week
Global luminaries are getting ready to make their mark as the United Nations General Assembly's high-profile week kicks off in New York. It is a special year as the organization celebrates its 80th birthday, though there isn't much to cheer about. A stalemate has ensued in the U.N. Security Council over the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. The United Nations itself is grappling with budget cuts, primarily from the United States.
Here are some key points to look out for.
Is the U.N. Relevant in the Modern World?
This question is expected to be a major focus of the 80th U.N. General Assembly, as the organization grapples with its mission to foster peace in a manner envisioned eight decades ago. However, diplomats have more pressing concerns, such as the financial crisis and the future of the U.N. amidst a possible second administration led by Trump.
The U.N.'s chief humanitarian and emergency relief officer, Tom Fletcher, states that the U.N. system is facing the "perfect storm: underfunded, overstretched and under attack." The organization has suffered a loss of 40% of its funding since the previous year, and aid workers are being killed in record numbers, mostly in Gaza.
The U.S. has slashed funding and withdrawn from key international bodies. The current administration has rejected the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals — key targets aimed at eradicating issues like poverty and hunger. The U.S. has voted against any resolution that mentions these goals.
Richard Gowan, the U.N. director for an international think tank, states that "the U.S. is behaving in an incredibly petty way." Anjali Dayal, a U.N. expert who teaches at a university, believes that the U.S. has transitioned from a major supporter to a significant source of instability at the U.N.
Acknowledging Palestine
Four nations, including Australia, Canada, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, officially recognized Palestine as a state, joining a majority of countries that have already done so. This decision, however, was met with opposition from the United States and Israel. Earlier, 142 countries endorsed a U.N. General Assembly resolution advocating for "tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps" towards a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The current U.S. administration has criticized this move and pledged to deny visas to members of the Palestinian Authority who wish to attend the conference. However, the U.N. General Assembly voted to allow the Palestinian Authority President to deliver his address virtually. Members of the Palestinian mission to the U.N. are expected to attend the General Assembly in person.
Bridging Syrian Isolation
Syria's interim president is expected to make his international debut with an address at the U.N. General Assembly, symbolizing the end of Syria's prolonged diplomatic isolation. The current U.S. administration has removed a significant bounty on his head, and President Trump has referred to him as an "attractive, tough guy."
Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and House Republican Joe Wilson recently visited Syria to discuss easing U.S. sanctions. Shaheen sees this as a historic opportunity for Syria following years of dictatorship. However, Israel remains skeptical.
China's Rising Power
As the U.S. reduces funding for U.N. agencies, China is stepping up its influence, though not financially. Gowan from the International Crisis Group suggests that "China is not going to come forward with the sort of large-scale financial support that the U.S. is now taking away. They are just gaining influence by default because the U.S. is not in the room."
Trump's Nobel Ambitions
Despite substantial cuts to the U.N. and dismantling of the primary U.S. aid agency, Trump has been advocating for a Nobel Peace Prize. This pitch is likely to continue when he takes the podium. He claims to have resolved seven wars, including a complex, long-standing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Leaders of Rwanda and DRC will be at the U.N. General Assembly, and both have commended Trump for his focus on this issue. However, the conflict is far from resolved.
The U.N. Secretary-General stated that the U.N. General Assembly will bring nearly 150 heads of state and government to U.N. headquarters. He emphasized that this event is not about scoring points but about solving problems.