UN General Assembly 2023 updates: Zelenskyy condemns Russian ‘aggression’

Fumio Kishida, prime minister of Japan, opened his speech by saying that Russian aggression against Ukraine had yet to cease and that the world needed to work towards cooperation and not division and confrontation.

“At a time when the international community is facing multiple crises and increasingly being divided, we need a common language which resonates with all of us,” he said.

“By shedding new light on human dignity, I believe the international community can overcome difference in regimes, in values and steadily advance towards human-centred international cooperation.”

Kishida called for the building of a peaceful and stable international community where human dignity was respected, and called on nuclear-armed states to step up efforts towards disarmament to create a world “without nuclear weapons”.

Japan wanted to protect the rights of vulnerable nations and people to live in peace under the rules of international law, he said.

“However, even to this day, Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, is infringing upon international law and the rule of law. Unilateral changes to the status quo by force or coercion are unacceptable anywhere in the world,” he said.

Violations of the UN charter and human rights must end, as must nuclear threats, he added.

The Japanese prime minister also said he favoured normalisation of relations with North Korea.

He said that Japan was willing to resolve all issues with North Korea – including Pyongyang’s past kidnappings of Japanese civilians to train its spies.

“From the perspective of opening up a new era together, I would like to convey my determination to meet with President Kim Jong Un face to face at any time without any conditions,” Kishida said.

He said he would “like to hold high-level talks under my direct supervision to realise a summit meeting at an early time”.

The Japanese prime minister also addressed issues related to human trafficking, climate change, environmental protection, gender issues, preparation for future pandemics, the responsible use of AI and increased representation at the UN Security Council.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz began his speech by referring to the time when Germany was split between East and West, but both had joined the UN together, though as separate states, 50 years ago.

Germany’s history reminded that a policy of peace must not stop on one’s own doorstep, Scholz said, adding that Germany is aware that its current freedom, democracy and prosperity are “deeply rooted” in the wellbeing of Europe and the world.

More international cooperation is required in a multipolar world and the UN system is where that cooperation can be realised, he said.

“All of us. Almost all of us want force as a political instrument to remain banned,” Scholz said.

“All of us have an interest in ensuring that the sovereignty, territory integrity and political independence of our countries is respected, and all of us should know what this requires. Namely, that we also grant others these rights. These golden rules are universal,” he said.

Scholz then directed his words towards people suffering amid conflict from Africa to Ukraine.

“Russia’s war of aggression has caused immense suffering, not only in Ukraine. People around the world are suffering as a result of inflation, growing debts, the scarcity of fertiliser, hunger and increasing poverty,” he said.

Because the war in Ukraine had consequences for the wider world, it was “right and proper” that the world is involved in the quest for peace. But it had to be a real peace, the German chancellor said.

“Peace without freedom is called oppression. Peace without justice is called dictatorship. Moscow too must finally understand that,” he said.

Russia is responsible for the war in Ukraine and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin can “end it any time with one single order”.

There is no place for imperialism in the multipolar world of the 21st century, he added.

Germany and all UN members promised on joining the world body to “unite our strength to maintain international peace and security”, Scholz said.

“Let us all do our best to live up to that promise,” he said.

Climate change was also a great challenge to the world, Scholz said in his speech, and industrialised countries had a particular responsibility in the fight against the climate crisis.

“Instead of waiting for others, we all have to do more together to achieve the Paris climate goals,” he said, noting that the world economy could only continue to grow with new renewable energy technologies.

The German chancellor also said that he supported reform of the composition of the UN Security Council. Africa, Asia and Latin America deserved greater representation, he said.

President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel said the General Assembly carries “great responsibility for the shape of humanity’s future” and emphasised that no nation can cope with current global challenges alone in a speech that stressed the threat Russia posed to the wider world amid Moscow’s war of aggression on Ukraine.

“Because of Russia and a handful of other countries, our world is more dangerous,” Pavel said.

“The Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues to constitute a manifest violation of the UN charter and international law we all subscribe to,” Pavel said in his speech.

“My country has its own experience with wars and interventions, including decades-long military occupation imposed by Moscow,” he said.

Pavel told of how he had visited Ukraine and seen the infamous war crime scenes in Bucha and Borodyanka, and was close to the front lines in areas ravaged by fighting.

“The account of Russia’s atrocities, human rights violations and ferocious attacks against the innocent civilian population is overwhelming,” the Czech president said, drawing attention to the forced deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia for “re-education” to “make them forget their culture and who they are”.

“Entire towns and villages wiped out for no reason. Mass graves and torture chambers in which people just disappear. Sadly, the evidence tells the story better than any statement. The list of stories full of horror is endless. Yet, we cannot just passively observe it. This must end. Russia must unconditionally withdraw all troops from the entire territory of Ukraine… Russia’s leaders must be held accountable for the crime of aggression against its neighbour,” he said.

“It is our duty to ensure that those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity are held accountable”, he added.

Czechia will support Ukraine as long as necessary, Pavel said.

“What Ukrainian people truly deserve is peace”, he said, “a just and durable peace”.

The Czech President also said the “damaging effects” of Russian aggression are being felt across the world in terms of the weaponisation of food security as Russia blockaded Ukraine’s ports and destroyed stocks of grain.

“Ukraine’s security is our own security. From Africa to Europe to Latin America to Asia. I call on leaders of the free world to keep the unity and support of Ukraine,” he said.

Pavel also called out Russia’s “reckless threats to use nuclear weapons”, which threatened the whole system of non-proliferation in the world, and condemned the stationing of Russian nuclear missiles in Belarus.

President Luis Lacalle Pou of Uruguay called for benefits and penalties to ensure cooperation with climate change initiatives, similar to policies he has applied domestically.

He explained that Uruguay had implemented a system of sustainability-linked bonds that offer “prizes and penalties” based on the level of compliance with the Paris Climate Accords.

Lacalle Pou proposed this system could be expanded internationally.

“We are convinced, we understand, that this system of benefits and penalties should be applied to international loans, for example, market access, quotas and tariffs. This is not just a vocation to punish lack of compliance but rather to reward those who engage in processes that are environmentally friendly and are sustainable,” he said.

“Just like when we are children, there are incentives to improve. And this would mean nations would make more effort in their domestic economies and also globally.”

He also used the podium to “firmly condemn” the Russian invasion of Ukraine and “raise our voice against authoritarian populism”.

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu called for “an equal, firm commitment” to Africa as part of the UN’s 2030 goals.

“Broken promises of fair treatment and outright exploitation from abroad have also exacted a heavy toll on our ability to progress,” he said.

“If this year’s theme is to mean anything at all, it must mean something special and particular to Africa.”

Tinubu finished his speech with a message of regional empowerment: “Africa is not a problem to be avoided. Nor is it to be pitied. Africa is nothing less than the key to the world’s future.”

As drought-driven low water levels lead to a bottleneck at the Panama Canal, the country’s President Laurentino Cortizo highlighted the effects climate change is having on the world’s waterways.

“Panama is the bridge of the world. It is a crossroads at the centre of the Americas where all roads converge, thanks to our exceptional maritime connectivity,” he said.

But, Cortizo added, “the climate crisis is a ticking time bomb, and time is running out for all of us”.

He said his country has seen “the first case of climate displacement when we had to relocate the population of the Gardi Sugdub island due to rising sea levels”.

But earlier this year, Human Rights Watch warned that delays have stalled relocation efforts, disadvantaging Indigenous populations.

The President of Mozambique, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, said that the theme of this year’s General Debate points to the reasons why its member nations are falling short of the goals in its 2030 agenda.

That agenda aims to eradicate poverty and address other pressing issues like climate change. The theme at this year’s General Debate is “rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity”.

“The main reason for a lack of success for this agenda remains the absence of trust and solidarity between those who have a lot and those who have a little or almost nothing at all,” Nyusi said.

“Even among those who have a lot, rather than building trust and solidarity, they spend their resources investing in competition.”

Under criticism for a violent crackdown on protesters this year, Peru’s President Dina Boluarte sought to project an image of stability before the General Debate.

“Peru is a country that respects democracy, the rule of law, human rights and international law,” she said, later adding, “Peru promotes peace.”

Boluarte became the first female president of Peru on December 7, 2022, after her predecessor, Pedro Castillo, attempted to dissolve Congress, culminating in his impeachment and arrest.

She highlighted that fact in her speech on Tuesday. But she downplayed the turmoil that came afterwards, saying that her administration had “overcome” Peru’s “political and social crisis” with “firmness and courage”.

She also touted her background, including her ability to speak the Indigenous language Quechua.

“I am a woman from the provinces,” she said, “I was born in the heights of the southern Peruvian Andes.”

Her administration has been accused of a violent crackdown against Indigenous and rural protesters who called for her resignation and new elections for Congress after Castillo’s impeachment.

Peña, who campaigned on his country’s continued support of Taiwan, reiterated his support for the self-governing island at the General Debate.

“The government of Paraguay expresses its support to the Republic of China, Taiwan, to become a comprehensive part of the United Nations system,” he said.

Taiwan has not been part of the UN General Assembly since 1971 when a UN resolution recognised Beijing as the government of China. The Communist victory in China’s civil war had driven the Chinese Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang, to Taiwan, leading to competing claims at the time.

Paraguay is the only country in South America to recognise Taiwan as a formal diplomatic ally. Under the “One China” principle, Beijing considers Taiwan its territory and refuses relations with any country that maintains diplomatic relations with the island.

Taiwan, therefore, has only 12 formal allies in the world, down from 13 after Honduras broke ties in March.

Paraguay’s President Santiago Peña, who was inaugurated just last month, has called for reforms to strengthen the UN and bolster its ability to respond to global crises.

“The lack of tangible results, inefficacy perceived in multilateral institutions and difficulties in addressing global problems in an effective manner have led to frustration and have led to an increase in the sense that national interests should prevail over multilateral cooperation,” he said from the podium.

He also denounced the “interference” of some countries in others’ affairs.

“As a result, we are seeing growing levels of distrust between states that makes cooperation and the willingness to commit to things of common good difficult,” he concluded.

Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Zhaparov highlighted instability in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover of the government in 2021.

“The people of Afghanistan are experiencing significant difficulties which are amplified by the lack of coordinated global stance on the situation in this country,” he said from the podium at the General Debate.

Two years ago, the US withdrew its troops from Afghanistan and the Taliban quickly overthrew the US-backed government.

UN experts have warned about food insecurity in the years since, with approximately 875,000 children facing acute malnutrition. They also called for increased aid to the country.

“It would not be an exaggeration on my part to say that Afghanistan is threatened by a humanitarian crisis with its inevitable consequences for the security of not only the surrounding regions but also for the entire world community,” Zhaparov said.

“We call on the international community to providing humanitarian, economic assistance to the Afghan people.”

As El Salvador prepares to hold its next presidential election in early 2024, its incumbent President Bukele is using his platform at the General Debate to play up his domestic policies and accuse critics of hypocrisy.

“We made the decision to purge the judiciary and the prison system, and then we changed laws to ensure terrorists wouldn’t escape out of prison any more. It was at that time that international condemnation started,” Bukele said of the controversial criminal justice reforms he instituted.

“Some countries, some media outlets and some so-called experts started systematic attacks against us for all the decisions we were making. People who never used their power or influence to call for security for our people who were being murdered suddenly started to speak against decisions we were making to stop this massacre.”

He said he would reverse the “mass exodus” of Salvadorians, calling El Salvador a “benchmark for security” and an “example of what all countries can achieve”.

El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has touted his track record on crime at the UN General Debate, obliquely dismissing criticism that he has violated human rights in pursuing mass arrests of suspected gang members.

“In such a short amount of time, El Salvador went from being the world’s murder capital, from being the most dangerous country in the world to becoming the safest country in Latin America,” Bukele told the UN.

“This isn’t a promise any more. This is a reality that the El Salvadorian people are living through, and anyone from abroad is welcome to go see it for themselves.”

He took a swipe at Western nations that “proclaimed themselves to be the great defenders of human rights and democratic institutionality”, saying they gave countries like El Salvador “poison” instead of help.

He described his tough-on-crime approach as the “remedy”.

“No country has the right to impose its ideas, to impose their way of doing things, even less when these things don’t even work in our countries,” he said.

Argentina’s leader Alberto Fernandez has called on the international community to respond to Azerbaijan’s latest offensive in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

“While this assembly is being held, in the news we read that Azerbaijan has started military operations with the goal of taking control of Nagorno-Karabakh,” he said.

“The international community cannot remain indifferent to this reality. It must react preventively to avoid new ethnic, racial, religious or political persecution.”

Azerbaijan has described the latest offensive as “anti-terrorist activities” and demanded the “complete withdrawal” of ethnic Armenian forces from the region.

Read more about the offensive here.

Algerian President Tebboune has called on the International Criminal Court (ICJ) to give an advisory opinion on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine.

He referenced a December 2022 UNGA resolution seeking such an opinion, which passed by a vote of 87 to 26 with 53 abstentions. The resolution calls on the ICJ to give a formal opinion on the legal consequences of Israel’s policy of “occupation, settlement and annexation”.

The ICJ last weighed in on the issue of Israel’s occupation in 2004, when it ruled that Israel’s wall in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem was illegal. The Hague-based ICJ, also known as the World Court, is the top UN court dealing with disputes between states.

Its rulings are binding, though the ICJ has no power to enforce them.

“By giving an advisory opinion regarding the Israeli practices that affect human rights on occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, we aspire towards a victory and to honour the combat of the Palestinian people who have suffered so much and who have sacrificed so much living under occupation,” he said.

Algeria’s president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has called for reform and more transparency in UN organs, particularly in reforming the Security Council.

“Any effort to strengthen joint international action forces us to respond to the constant appeals to strengthen the multilateral system by reforming the main organs of our organisation in order to make them more transparent and ensure the necessary balance among the main organs and ensure equitable geographical distribution,” he said.

“This should be an absolute priority for the international community in order to find a consensus.”

Raisi has denounced the US for nixing the multilateral Iran nuclear deal in 2018 under former President Donald Trump.

He said Washington committed an “egregious and unilateral crime in the international arena” by failing to live up to its obligations under the deal, which saw Iran scale back its nuclear programme in exchange for lifting US-led sanctions against its economy.

“The United States of America must explain transparently and demonstrate in a verifiable fashion that it does wish to reach a proper conclusion,” Raisi said, adding that Washington has to decide whether it wants to revive the pact or not.

Numerous rounds of indirect talks since Biden took office early in 2021 have failed to restore the agreement.

Raisi has said that Iran does not support the war in Ukraine and would back ceasefire initiatives and diplomatic measures to end the conflict.

“Our unambiguous position as the Islamic Republic: We do not stand nor support any war anywhere, not in Europe nor anywhere,” he said.

Iran has been accused of providing Russia with drones to use against Ukraine.

Raisi has hit out at the “foreign presence” in the Gulf region, referring to the thousands of US troops stationed in the area.

“Any type of foreign presence not only is not part of the solution, but it is the problem and the difficulty itself,” the Iranian president said.

Raisi has said that Iran is trying to increase cooperation with its neighbours, stressing that Tehran values the security of other countries in the region.

“The Islamic Republic extends a warm welcome to any hand that is extended in friendship, firmly believing that an independent and robust neighbourhood represents an opportunity for the entire region,” the Iranian president said.

Iran signed a China-brokered detente with Saudi Arabia earlier this year and re-established diplomatic relations with the kingdom.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has held up a copy of the Quran, condemning the desecration of the holy book after recent incidents in Sweden.

“We firmly believe that reverence for religions should hold a prominent position on the United Nations agenda,” Raisi said.

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has expressed concern about recent incidents of desecrating the Quran, calling for special protections for religious texts.

“Such barbaric acts against Islam, or any other religion, cannot be accepted as expressions of freedom, free speech and democracy,” Tokayev said.

“All holy books, including the Quran, deserve legal protection against vandalism.”

Arce, the left-wing president of Bolivia, has condemned “unilateral sanctions”, which he said deprive people of basic human rights.

“A clear example of these measures – which are illegal, inhuman and criminal – is the economic and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba,” Arce said. “The restrictions imposed make it difficult to have access to food, medicine and other basic goods, creating human suffering.”

Bolivia’s President Luis Arce has stressed the need to implement international initiatives and UN resolutions to ensure that Palestinians can have self-determination in a viable state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

“With regard to the Israeli occupation of Palestine, we cannot continue to allow the suffering of the Palestinian people,” said Arce.

Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has called for international aid for Afghanistan, saying that the country’s frozen assets should be used to address its “acute” humanitarian issues.

“Leaving Afghanistan again alone with its own problems would be a great, new grave mistake,” said Mirziyoyev, whose country borders Afghanistan.

“Ignoring, isolating and imposing sanctions only exacerbates the hardships faced by the ordinary Afghan people. We believe that humanitarian aid to the Afghan people should not be reduced.”

Guterres met Brazil’s Lula and congratulated the country “for its leadership in multilateral efforts on climate, forest action and sustainable development”, a UN spokesperson has said.

“They agreed that efforts against inequality must be at the center of global efforts,” the UN said in a statement.

In meeting with @LulaOficial, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Secretary-General @antonioguterres congratulated Brazil for its leadership in multilateral efforts on climate, forest action & sustainable development.#UNGA

Read more: 👇https://t.co/DvQHdUKEm1 pic.twitter.com/T5W7Xz7Jdm

— UN Spokesperson (@UN_Spokesperson) September 19, 2023

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has called for more security aid to Ukraine.

In an interview with the Reuters news agency on the sidelines of the UNGA, Stoltenberg said the conflict was a “war of attrition” but not a stalemate, citing Ukraine’s counteroffensive that began earlier this year.

“If we want an end to the war, if we want a just and lasting peace, then military support to Ukraine is the right way,” the NATO chief said. “Ukraine needs many different types of support.”

Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar has underscored the need for reforms at the UN Security Council, criticising the use of veto power by the international body’s five permanent members.

“Slovenia belongs to the majority of member states that are deeply concerned about the unlimited use of the veto power, which is causing us to lose faith in the Security Council,” Pirc Musar said.

She pointed to the invasion of Ukraine last year with Russia repeatedly using its veto powers to block Security Council resolution on the conflict.

“By losing trust, we attack the very foundations of organised society, of our international community,” Pirc Musar said.

The US has also deployed its veto dozens of times over the years to shield Israeli violations of international law from criticism.

🇺🇳 We live in a world in which human dignity is still not guaranteed for all and is increasingly challenged for the most marginalized and vulnerable people. It is a world that needs the @UN, with a reformed, representative Security Council that will be able to respond to… pic.twitter.com/PWcthOfbMr

— Nataša Pirc Musar (@nmusar) September 19, 2023

Swiss President Alain Berset has called on the international community to seize on the “unique” opportunity that the UNGA provides to push for a better future for the world.

“Let us show responsibility and solidarity to build a fairer, more egalitarian world for not us so much, but for those who are going to come after us – for future generations,” Berset said.

“And we must say this: This is a responsibility that we have to shoulder. It can’t be delegated. This is our responsibility.”

Novak has called for bolstering birth rates in face of what she called a “demographic crisis” and “anti-family and anti-child” ideologies.

“What is the point of looking after the earth if we don’t have children and grandchildren to pass it on to,” the conservative Hungarian president said.

“If childlessness becomes widespread, if fewer children continue to be born each year than the number of those who passed away in our countries, our beloved world that we believe to be secure will be shattered.”

Most speakers at the UNGA so far have stressed gender equality and the need to advance women’s rights.

But Hungary’s President Katalin Novak, the 16th speaker at the debate, is the first woman to address the UNGA on Tuesday.

Novak’s role as president of Hungary is largely ceremonial. Right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban is the head of the executive branch of government.

Guatemala’s President Alejandro Giammattei has called for Taiwan to be represented at the UN.

“How can it be that in the midst of the 21st century, this organisation keeps a country like Taiwan outside its doors? That country is one that contributes to science, high technology, healthcare, development and many other fields,” Giammattei said.

China, which considers the self-ruled island part of its territory, opposes Taiwan joining the UN.

Guatemala is one of around a dozen countries that formally recognise Taiwan.

Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy has suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin is behind the plane crash that killed Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin last month.

“Evil cannot be trusted. Ask Prigozhin – if one bets on Putin’s promises,” Zelenskyy said.

Prigozhin, whose mercenary forces fought for Russia in Ukraine, led a short-lived mutiny against the Kremlin weeks before his death.

Zelenskyy has called on the world to push to implement his 10-point peace formula, which calls for Russia’s withdrawal from Ukrainian territories and establishing a special tribunal to prosecute war crimes.

“For the first time in modern history, we have a real chance to end the aggression on the terms of the nation which was attacked,” the Ukrainian president said.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the world to unite against what he called Russia’s aggression, portraying the invasion of Ukraine as an existential threat to global order akin to nuclear weapons.

“It takes our unity to make sure that aggression will not [happen] in again,” he said.

Zelenskyy has accused Russia of committing genocide by abducting thousands of Ukrainian children and indoctrinating them against the country.

“We’re trying to get [the] children back home, but time goes by. What will happen to them? Those children in Russia are told to hate Ukraine, and all ties with their families are broken, and this is clearly a genocide,” Zelenskyy said.

Moscow has denied abducting Ukrainian children, saying that it has simply conducted rescue operations of families trapped in war zones in the east of Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that it was Russia that needed to undergo nuclear disarmament after the Cold War, not Ukraine.

“Terrorists have no right to hold nuclear weapons,” he said.

The White House has said that Biden met Guterres on the sidelines of the UNGA, reaffirming the “strong partnership” between the US and the UN.

“They discussed pressing global challenges, including the need to tackle rising poverty and inequality and mobilize additional resources for sustainable development, combat climate change, and uphold the UN’s foundational principles – particularly in the face of Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine,” the White House said in a statement.

South Africa’s leader has called for the expansion of the UN Security Council.

Supporters of reform have long said there should be more permanent seats on the council. Currently, there are only five permanent members with veto power on the 15-member council – China, France, Russia, the UK and the US.

“This is the moment to proceed with the reform of the United Nations Security Council to give meaning to the principle of the sovereign equality of nations, and to enable the council to respond more effectively to current geopolitical realities,” he said.

Ramaphosa says he has traveled to the UNGA with an all-woman delegation.

“Today, I’m accompanied by an all women delegation to this United Nations General Assembly,” he said.

“It should be a matter of concern to us all that the majority of people who are sitting in this assembly are men. The question we have to ask is: Where are the women of the world? The women of the world have a right to be here to represent the views of women across the world,” he said.

Ramaphosa has called on wealthy countries to increase efforts to reduce global climate change.

“Africa is least responsible for the climate damage that has been caused, and yet it bears the greatest burden,” he said.

“Centuries after the end of the slave trade, decades after the end of the colonial exploitation of Africa’s resources, the people of our continent are once again bearing the cost of industrialisation of the [Global] North and the development of the wealthy nations of the world,” the South African leader added.

“This is a price that the people of Africa are no longer prepared to pay.”

Ramaphosa has called on the global community to work with the African Union to end conflicts across Africa.

“The global community needs to work alongside the African Union to support peace efforts in the [Democratic Republic of Congo], in Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Mali, Central African Republic, South Sudan, North Mozambique, the Great Lakes region, the Sahel, Nigeria and the Horn of Africa,” he said.

Ramphosa calls on wealthy countries to “meet the financial commitments they have made”.

“It is a matter of great concern to us from the global south that these wealthier countries from the global north have failed to meet the undertakings they made to provide $100bn a year for developing economies to take climate action,” the president of South Africa said. “This must be changed and the money must be made available in the interest of development.”

“It is a grave indictment on this international community that we can spend so much money on war, in fact, trillions are being spent on war, but we cannot support action that needs to be taken to meet the basic needs of billions of people in the world,” he lamented.

South African President Cyril Ramphosa has called for “confidence building” measures to move towards a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia.

“We value the importance of engaging all parties to conflicts, to achieve peaceful just and enduring solutions,” he said.

“It is these principles that inform South Africa’s participation in the African Peace Initiative, which seeks a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine,” he said.

He added that he had met Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said some progress had recently been made, particularly in the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia.

“But then we said we need to see this happening on a much faster pace,” he said.

Ending his address, the Qatari emir has said it is “incumbent on all leaders to empower their peoples and to enable their peoples to live in peace and security and to look forward to a better future for their posterity”.

Issues that concern all of humanity include “climate change, environmental matters in general, poverty and the blatant injustice represented by occupation, racism and war crimes”, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said.

Sheikh Tamim says the 2022 World Cup created an opportunity to learn about the people and culture of Qatar.

“It was an opportunity for the world to see our people as they are and to learn about our culture and values, and to learn about Qatar and Qatar’s status as a global destination and nexus between East and West,” he said.

He added that the world’s top football event also was an opportunity “to emphasise the role that sports could play in building bridges of communication and rapprochement between peoples and cultures”.

Sheikh Tamim says Qatar continues to “coordinate international efforts” on Afghanistan and facilitate “dialogue with the United Nations and the countries concerned”.

Those efforts aim to “avoid the recurrence of past mistakes and to prevent Afghanistan from spiralling into a difficult to manage” humanitarian crisis “or becoming a safe haven for terrorist individuals and groups”, the Qatari emir said.

“We also have to work to ensure that the Afghan people receive the needed international support and assistance and enjoy human rights particularly minority rights and women’s rights to education and work.”

The Qatari emir has called for an end to injustice, particularly for the Palestinian people.

“It is unacceptable for the Palestinian people to continue to languish under the yoke and the intransigence of the Israeli occupation and the rejection by consecutive Israeli governments of any just political solution according to international legitimacy,” he said.

He also referenced the situation in Syria, where the population is awaiting “a comprehensive settlement through a political process leading to a political transition in accordance with the Geneva Declaration”, as well as ongoing violence in Sudan and the ongoing crisis in Lebanon.

He called for an end to the ongoing crises in Yemen and Libya.

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has begun addressing the assembly, saying the world is “in an era of unprecedented accelerating progress”.

However, those advancements have come at “a cost for the people and the planet”, he said.

“We have a lot of potential that could achieve prosperity for the whole of humanity. However, the gap between the possibilities and reality is widening.”

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has said Ukraine’s fight against the Russian invasion is a struggle for the whole world.

“We cannot differentiate the Ukrainian people’s struggle from the struggle for respect for the United Nations Charter,” he said.

Al Jazeera’s Patty Culhane has said the Turkish president sought to position himself and his country as a “power player” in global affairs in his speech.

Erdogan spoke about issues affecting countries around the world during his UN General Assembly address, Culhane noted. “Erdogan … really making the case for himself as a power player,” she said.

Erdogan has said while Turkey has supported negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region remains Azerbaijani territory.

The Turkish president re-asserted his country’s support for Azerbaijan.

“We are moving together with Azerbaijan under the slogan, under the motto that we are two nations, one state,” he said.

Azerbaijan earlier said it had launched “anti-terrorist operations” in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and demanded the “complete withdrawal” of ethnic Armenian forces as a condition for peace in the disputed territory.

For more on what’s happening in Nagorno-Karabakh, click here.

Erdogan has stressed that without the establishment of a viable Palestinian state, it will be difficult for Israel to enjoy security and stability in the region.

“We will continue to support the Palestinian people in their struggle for their legitimate rights under international law,” the Turkish president said.

Erdogan has called for greater multilateralism at the world stage.

“The world is bigger than five, and a fairer world is possible,” he said, referring to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

More from Erdogan:

“Since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war, we have been endeavoring to keep both our Russian and Ukrainian friends around the table with the thesis that war will have no winners and peace will have no losers,” the Turkish president said.

“We will step up our efforts to end the war through diplomacy and dialogue on the basis of Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed gratitude to the international community, including the UN, for coming to the country’s aid after it suffered a major earthquake that killed thousands of people last year.

“The friendship shown to our country on that very dark day … was an important source of consolation for us,” he said.

Diaz-Canel has denounced the US blockade on his country, stressing that the sanctions are unilateral and unjustified.

“For 60 years now, Cuba is suffering from an asphyxiating economic blockade designed to depress its income and living standards, to promote a continuing scarcity of food, medicine and other basic imports and to damage its development potential,” he said.

The Cuban president said his country has never engaged in any action to harm the US or interfere in its affairs.

He added that “this merciless economic warfare” is in violation of international law and the UN charter.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has called for major reforms in international economic institutions as well as the debt management of developing nations.

“We insist on the implementation of a multilateral mechanism to reschedule sovereign debt with an effective participation of the countries of the [Global] South that will allow for a fair, balanced and development-oriented treatment,” he said.

He urged restructuring debts and rescheduling payments as soon as a country is affected by natural disasters or other economic crises.

More from Poland’s Duda:

“There will be no lasting peace without cooperation, without solidarity between richer and poorer countries – and ultimately, without respect for international law.”

Duda has heaped praise on the US, applauding its current support for Ukraine as well as its historical involvement in Europe, including Washington’s role in defeating the Nazis during World War II.

“It is the United States that has been playing a pivotal role in ensuring security in Europe for more than a century,” he said.

Polish President Andrzej Duda has called for ending the conflict in Ukraine by pushing Russia to withdraw from the country’s internationally recognised borders.

“This brutal, brutal war must end, and not be converted into a frozen war,” Duda said. “This can only be done by restoring the full territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.”

King Abdullah has questioned why the international community is not supporting Palestinians as Israel continues to expand its illegal settlements in the occupied territories.

“Where is the global solidarity to make UN resolutions believable by people in need of our help?” Abdullah asked.

King Abdullah has said the region will continue to suffer until the world helps resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which he described as “the central issue in the Middle East”.

“No architecture for regional security and development can stand over the burning ashes of this conflict,” he said.

UNGA meetings, particularly the general debate, have brought sworn enemies to the same building and allowed some of the United States’ most hostile adversaries to visit New York, where the UN headquarters are located.

As the assembly convenes for its annual session, here’s a look at some unforgettable, and sometimes comical, UNGA moments.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II has decried shortfalls in funding for international agencies that assist refugees.

“Is this what we’ve come to? Is the international community going to watch as refugee families find themselves forced to send their children to work instead of schools?” the Jordanian king said.

More from Colombia’s Petro has called for public funding and a “global scale” democracy to tackle the climate crisis.

He said capital and the free market may play a role in the solution, but they cannot be counted on because they helped create the crisis.

Petro has underscored that world powers are focused on the Russian invasion of Ukraine while ignoring international law violations by Israel against the Palestinians.

“What is the difference between Ukraine and Palestine? I ask. Is it not time to bring an end to both wars – and other wars too – and make the most of the short time we have to build paths to save life on the planet,” he said.

The Colombian president called for two peace conferences to end the both conflicts.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has implicitly slammed the US crackdown on the “exodus” of migrants from Latin America who are fleeing the effects of climate change among other crises.

“They have set the dogs and the hounds on the immigrants,” he said. “They have put people on horses to pursue them with whips in their hands, with stalks and chains. They have built prisons. So much the hatred has grown of the foreign.”

Biden concludes with another call for cooperation.

“Let’s do this work together. Let’s deliver progress for everyone,” he said.

Biden has stressed that Russia alone is responsible for the war in Ukraine, and it alone can end the conflict.

The US president also renewed Washington’s commitment to support Kyiv against the Russian invasion.

“If we abandon the core principles of the United Nations to appease an aggressor, can any member state in this body feel confident that they’re protected? If you allow Ukraine to be carved up, is the independence of any nation secure?” Biden asked.

“I’d respectfully suggest the answer is: no.”

More from Biden:

“We are for de-risking, not de-coupling with China. We will push back on aggression and intimidation to defend the rules of the road … as it helps safeguard security and prosperity for decades,” he said.

“But we also stand ready to work together with China on issues where progress hinges on common efforts.”

Biden has hailed a newly announced rail project to link India to Europe through Saudi Arabia and Israel.

“It demonstrates how Israel’s greater normalisation and economic connection with its neighbours is delivering positive and practical impacts, even as we continue to work tirelessly to support a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians,” he said.

Biden has voiced support for the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as they push against recent coups in Niger and Gabon.

“We will not retreat from the values that make us strong. We will defend democracy, our best tool to meet the challenge that we face around the world,” he said.

Tune in as I deliver remarks before the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. https://t.co/sKfXyy8nFT

— President Biden (@POTUS) September 19, 2023

Biden has urged the UN Security Council to authorise a multinational force to help restore security in Haiti, which continues to suffer from rampant gang violence.

Biden also thanked Kenya for agreeing to lead the force.

Read more here.

US President Joe Biden has called for international cooperation to tackle global challenges, stressing that countries across the world share a common future.

“The United States seeks a more secure, more prosperous and equitable world for all people because we know our future is bound to yours,” he said. “Let me repeat that again: We know our future is bound to yours.”

US President Joe Biden has started delivering the third UNGA speech of his presidency.

More from Lula:

“Inequalities need to inspire outrage – outrage over hunger, poverty, war and disrespect for human beings. Moved by the power of outrage, we may act willingly and unwaveringly in fighting inequality and effectively transforming the world around us,” the Brazilian president said in the conclusion of his speech.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has rejected the prosecution of whistle-blower and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is fighting extradition from the United Kingdom to the United States, where he is facing espionage charges.

“Preserving press freedom is essential. A journalist like Julian Assange cannot be punished [for] informing society in a transparent and legitimate way,” Lula said.

The Brazilian president has hailed a new push by countries in the Amazon region to protect the critical rainforest.

“We want to arrive at COP28 in Dubai with a joint vision that reflects … the priorities for preserving the Amazon,” Lula, who hosted the Amazon summit in Brazil last month, told the UNGA.

For more on what the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization summit adopted in August, read here.

Lula has said his country is returning to democracy and the international fold after the departure of his far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro.

“If today I returned in the honourable capacity as president of Brazil, it is thanks to the victory won by democracy in my country,” he said. “Democracy ensured that we overcame hate, misinformation and oppression.”

Lula added that Brazil is embracing multilateralism as it pushes for a fair and sustainable future. “Brazil is back,” he said.

The Brazilian president also lamented global income and wealth inequality, calling for higher taxes on the rich.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s left-wing president, is delivering the first country address at this year’s UNGA.

Francis has said that the world lacks the will, not capacity, to achieve “consequential change” and improve the lives of billions of people.

“What we lack is the will to act by putting aside our differences and bridging divides,” Francis said. “We can deliver; we must deliver peace, progress, prosperity and sustainability to everyone everywhere.”

UNGA President Dennis Francis, a diplomat from Trinidad and Tobago, has called on world leaders to use the “unique and truly global platform” of the summit to tackle global challenges.

He called for solidarity and “joint action” to improve the state of the world.

“Such a common, coordinated approach is needed now as much as at any point in our history,” Francis said.

“War, climate change, debt, energy and food crises, poverty and famine – these crises are directly impacting the lives and well-being of billions of people around the world.”

Guterres has suggested establishing an international body to oversee the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and “provide a source of information and expertise” to countries across the world.

He said there are models that can inspire such an institution, including the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA.

“The UN stands ready to host the global and inclusive discussions that are needed,” he said.

Guterres has called for urgent action to combat climate change, including providing resources to developing countries to establish green energy sources.

“We must be determined to tackle the most immediate threat to our future: our overheating planet,” the UN chief said.

“Climate chaos is breaking new records, but we cannot afford the same old broken record of scapegoating and waiting for others to move first,” he said.

Guterres has denounced what he called “unilateral actions” that are threatening peace in the occupied Palestinian territories.

He did not elaborate or explicitly blame Israel for the escalation, amid the continuing expansion of illegal Israeli settlements and increased violence against Palestinians.

“In the Middle East, escalating violence and bloodshed in the occupied Palestinian territories is taking a terrible toll on civilians,” he said.

“Unilateral actions are intensifying and undermining the possibility of a two-state solution – the only pathway to lasting peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis.”

The UN chief has called for major reforms in global institutions, including at the UN Security Council, to be able to address modern challenges.

Guterres also urged “redesigning international financial architecture, so that it becomes truly universal and serves as a global safety net for developing countries in trouble”.

“The alternative to reform is further fragmentation. It is reform or rupture,” he said.

Guterres has “painted a very grim picture of the state of the world” in his opening address, Al Jazeera’s Diplomatic Editor James Bays says.

The UN secretary-general pointed to the situation in Derna, Libya, which was hit by deadly flooding this month, and said residents were “victims of conflict, victims of climate chaos and victims of world leaders who are not doing enough”.

“He says the world is in a mess with regard to conflict, with regard to poverty and inequality – and yet the world is not coming together. There is a fracturing of world leaders gathering in different blocs,” Bays reports.

Secretary-General Guterres has decried the floods that killed thousands of people in Libya as a “sad snapshot of the state of our world”.

He said bodies are washing ashore in Libya’s Derna – where dams broke after years of war and neglect – on the same Mediterranean Sea where billionaires are socialising on their superyachts.

He added that the catastrophe in Libya represents “the flood of inequity, of injustice, of inability to confront the challenges in our midst”.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has started delivering a speech to kick off the UN General Debate.

Guterres’s remarks will be followed by addresses by world leaders, starting with Lula da Silva, the Brazilian president.

The UN’s Climate Action Summit coincides with the start of the General Assembly, bringing the climate crisis into focus in a year marked by a record number of disasters, from wildfires to floods.

The main event will take place Wednesday when UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will host a high-profile event meant to reverse backsliding on the Paris Agreement goals and to encourage governments to adopt serious new actions to combat climate change.

“There is too much backtracking; so we’re really hoping that this summit can be used as a moment to inspire people,” Selwin Hart, special adviser on climate to Guterres, said in an interview with the Reuters news agency.

Joe Biden is slated to be the second world leader to speak at Tuesday’s General Debate — but he is also the only top leader to represent one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council at this year’s event.

The Security Council is one of the foremost bodies in the UN, charged with peacekeeping, sanctions and issuing binding resolutions for the 193 member states.

The council is composed of 15 members, only five of which are permanent: the US, China, France, Russia and the United Kingdom.

But many leaders of those countries have declined to attend this year’s high-level proceedings. French President Emmanuel Macron, for instance, said he has opted to skip the event to focus on an upcoming visit from King Charles III.

Rishi Sunak, meanwhile, will become the first UK prime minister in a decade to miss the General Assembly due to scheduling conflicts.

You can watch all the speeches unfold in real-time with the UN’s WebTV live streaming platform.

A schedule for the event, which runs through September 26, is also available on the General Debate’s dedicated website, featuring a list of the day’s speakers.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to make his first in-person appearance at the General Debate since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of his country in February 2022.

His attendance, up until recently, was uncertain, but experts believe Zelenskyy is hoping to reinvigorate international support for Ukraine as the conflict drags on.

He is scheduled to be the 14th speaker in today’s lineup. On Wednesday, the Security Council will also hold an open debate over the “maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine”, which could put Zelenskyy in the same room as Russian diplomats – a meeting poised to generate sparks.

Afterwards, Zelenskyy is expected to travel south to Washington, DC, for his second wartime visit before the US Congress.

At the General Debate, leaders from member states are allowed to take the podium to speak on any topic they wish.

But with 193 member states, how does the UN determine who speaks first?

Historically, the honour has gone to Brazil, followed by the US as the host country. According to the UN Protocol and Liaison Services, the tradition began because leaders from other countries were hesitant to take the podium first in the early days of the General Debate.

So Brazil stepped up. At the fourth General Debate, in 1949, Brazil was the first to speak, and it did so again for the next two years. Since the 10th session in 1955, almost every debate has been kicked off by the South American nation.

After Brazil and the US, the order of speakers is generally determined by an algorithm, based on factors like geography, level of representation and the order in which a speaking request was received.

The 78th UN General Debate kicks off on Tuesday, opening a period of high-level discussions that runs through September 26.

But while the event is called a “debate”, it actually consists of a series of 15-minute speeches delivered by world leaders on topics of their choice.

The General Debate is therefore one of the most hotly anticipated – and widely watched – events on the UN calendar.

What can you expect from this year’s gathering? Find out with this explainer.

Opening this year’s General Debate is the new president of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis.

He was sworn in on September 5, taking over for Hungary’s Csaba Kőrösi.

Representing the Caribbean island nation of Trinidad and Tobago, Francis has served as a diplomat for nearly 40 years, becoming the country’s longest-serving ambassador.

His appointment as president comes as the General Assembly faces increased pressure to address the needs of the Global South, loosely defined as lower-income countries that have historically been marginalised in favour of so-called developed nations.

As the General Debate opens on Tuesday, another UN event closes: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit.

The two-day event, also held at UN headquarters in New York City, was a high-profile effort to rally momentum for the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, established in 2015.

The UN defines the goals as a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity”, designed to address global poverty, inequality and the environment.

But in its latest report, the UN said progress towards the goals has been “weak and insufficient”. With only seven years left before the SDG deadline, experts warn “higher pressure” may be needed to achieve the goals.

Read more about the SDGs here.

While speakers at the General Debate can discuss whatever topic they choose, each year’s event is defined by a loose theme.

This year, the theme is “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity”.

In its subheading, the theme prompts world leaders to consider the UN’s agenda for 2030, which includes the deadline for its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It calls for “accelerating action” towards those goals, with the aim of promoting “peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all”.