79th session of UN General Assembly opened as eyes set on Summit of the Future

At the opening ceremony on Tuesday, Philemon Yang assumed the presidency of the 79th UNGA session, where he committed to striving for collaboration and effective solutions to global challenges.  

Mr. Yang emphasised on the need for equitable economic growth driven by innovation and green economies, with an assurance that peace and security will be his key priorities in the news session of the General Assembly. 

“The cornerstone of my Presidency will be built on the principles of unity in diversity, fostering an environment where every voice is not only heard but valued. We will pursue the advancement of peace, ensuring that our efforts towards conflict resolution are both proactive and enduring,” Mr. Yang remarked. 

The President called for Cooperation among Member States to harness collective resources to realise humanity’s greatest aspirations such as peace, justice, and sustainable development. 

On his part, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres underscored that the 79th session opens at a time when the world is faced by trouble, ‘but the good news is that we can do something about it.’

“From day one, the United Nations has been the place for multilateral solutions — grounded in collaboration…dialogue…diplomacy…and the United Nations Charter. And it has been the place where respect for one another, and for the dignity and human rights that belong to every member of the human family, are brought to life,” said Mr. Guterres. 

The Secretary-General further observed the need for solutions to bring Sustainable Development Goals back to life. This is by ending poverty and inequality, stimulating economic growth, ending conflict and climate catastrophe, and ensuring emerging technologies are enablers for human progress and equality.

SUMMIT OF THE FUTURE 

During the General Assembly set to be held at UN headquarters in New York, the Summit of the Future aims at reaffirming the Charter of the United Nations, reinvigorating multilateralism, boosting implementation of existing commitments, agreeing on concrete solutions to challenges and restoring trust among Member States.

The will adopt a document named “A Pact for the Future”, agreed in advance by consensus through intergovernmental negotiations.

The pact will address, sustainable development and financing for development, International peace and security, science, technology and innovation and digital cooperation. It will also look into youth and future generations and transforming global governance.

The Summit of the Future sessions will take place on September 22 – 23, where youth representatives,   the President of the Republic of Namibia and the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany are set to speak in the opening segment. 

The Summit will also lead to a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration for Future Generations, expected to be adopted by Member States during the Summit.