The 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) started this week in New York. A time that seems most crucial for diplomacy as the leaders face a world replete with conflicts, disruptions of the climate, and shaky economies. Under the theme “Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development and Human Rights,” the meeting intends to relaunch multilateral initiatives and enhance efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Discussions around wars that challenge peace and diplomacy
The General Debate, which started on the 23rd September, includes speeches from the presidents and prime ministers of the world, each one holding the baton for dire issues on a global scale. The unceasing wars in Ukraine, Sudan, and the Middle East qualify as the most pressing issues, as each one in its own way disrupts local regions and thoroughly challenges diplomacy on the global stage. As voiced by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. António Guterres:
“Pillars of peace and progress are buckling under the weight of impunity, inequality and indifference.”
He also added that the world must face these “geopolitical divisions and rising inequalities,” which we hope will record several trust issues in international forums and global institutions.
The climate crisis takes center stage following COP30
The summit on Climate Change on the 24th of September is the most concerning issue of all. The Summit on Climate Change is, as its name suggests, a Conference of the Nations which serves as an assembly of leaders that are going to discuss resolutions on the issues set by the Brazil Conference, COP30.
The summit concentrated on accelerating the goal of the Paris Agreement of limiting global temperature increases to 1.5°C. Guterres described the cost of not acting as “ever-warming.”
Navigating economic strain through global cooperation
Similar to the World Economic Forum’s Sustainable Development Impact Meetings, the UNGA has provided a venue for business, civil society, and government leaders to formulate approaches to global issues. These meetings articulate the need for diversity in addressing gender equity, mental health, and the use of artificial intelligence.
Concern over the global and domestic economies has intensified. In the U.S., consumer confidence plummeted in September to the lowest record since May. The consumer sentiment index compiled by the University of Michigan fell 4.8% to 55.4, largely as a result of newly imposed tariffs and inflation.
Expectations of long-term inflation have risen for the second month in a row to 3.9% in September. Adjusted spending habits are apparent among consumers, as only 24% are willing to continue buying goods whose price increases are caused by tariffs.
The world leaders addressing the need for change in the structure of global governance are back at the UNGA. On September 24, the Biennial Summit for a Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Global Economy focused on the 2024 pact for the future and its financing development. The summit is designed to foster multilateral cooperation and ensure that financing is available to fulfill the 2030 Agenda.
In the upcoming week, more world leaders will facilitate high-level conferences to address the governance of artificial intelligence and other issues like non-communicable diseases and mental health. These discussions illustrate the UN’s commitment to resolving issues that are interrelated.
Another topic discussed at the recent UN Update on development of the Sustainable Development Goals, the need to act more urgently in the next five years, resonates more than ever. The onset of war, the climate catastrophe, and economic instability have created a moment of reckoning for leaders across the world. The assembly’s ability to transmute debate into productive action within a timeframe shall remain to be seen, but the stakes have never been higher.