UN General Assembly’s 79th Session Opens with Calls for Global Unity and Cooperation

The 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was officially opened on Tuesday by the new General Assembly President, Philemon Yang. In his inaugural remarks, Yang highlighted the numerous global challenges facing the world, including climate change, ongoing conflicts from Sudan to Haiti, Ukraine to Gaza, and the persistent suffering caused by poverty and hunger.

Yang emphasized the need for international cooperation, urging member states to draw inspiration from the United Nations Charter to address these issues. He stressed that the UNGA remains the most powerful platform to harness collective resources and ingenuity for achieving peace, justice, and sustainable development.

Yang outlined his priorities for his tenure, focusing on unity in diversity, the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and a commitment to human dignity for all. He also highlighted the importance of multilingualism, gender equality, and the reform of key UN bodies, including the Security Council.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his opening remarks, described the General Assembly as “the place where solutions are made” for the world’s pressing challenges, including poverty, inequality, and climate change. Guterres reaffirmed the importance of the UNGA as an indispensable tool in confronting global crises and working towards a peaceful and just future.

Philemon Yang, hailing from Cameroon, was sworn in as the new President at the closing of the 78th session of the UNGA on Tuesday morning.