Can the UN restore trust in itself?
The world's biggest diplomatic gathering – the general debates of the 81st UN General Assembly – begins on Tuesday. Traffic comes to a halt across Midtown Manhattan New York for a week as foreign ministers, presidents, chief executives and activists swarm New York, each convinced their meeting matters more than the one down the hall. It's impossible to get a table at a restaurant on the East Side…
The 81st United Nations General Assembly kicks off on Tuesday, drawing diplomats, world leaders and activists to New York City. The week-long event is filled with meetings and negotiations, causing major disruptions in Manhattan. This year marks the final UN Assembly for Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who took office in 2016.
Guterres has faced challenges protecting civilians in conflict zones, most notably Gaza, and dealing with the US under President Donald Trump, whose policies weakened multilateralism. Guterres will end his term in a world where the UN's influence has dwindled. The assembly's theme, "Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation," feels ironic given the UN's limited progress on its Sustainable Development Goals, only a third of which are on track.
The assembly will tackle ongoing conflicts, including the wars in Ukraine and Iran, and the plight of Palestinians. However, the focus will be on the rise of artificial intelligence and its potential threats, as well as the shrinking territories of island nations due to climate change.
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