Secretary-General António Guterres stated the previous yr had been marked by ongoing poverty, inequality and battle, emphasizing that it was additionally the most well liked yr on file.
Addressing the session’s ultimate plenary assembly, he highlighted the “hope and inspiration” in what might be achieved if the worldwide group labored as one. He additionally applauded the management of Meeting President Dennis Francis.
“The challenges going through humanity are usually not insurmountable if we work collectively,” he stated.
Mr. Guterres reiterated that the UN, and the multilateral system itself, can solely be as efficient as Member States’ dedication permits.
“As we have fun the achievements of the 78th Basic Meeting, allow us to additionally look to the 79th as a second by which the world can ship the belief, options and peace that our world wants.”
‘An eventful yr’
Addressing the Meeting for the ultimate time in that capability, President Dennis Francis, the veteran diplomat from Trinidad and Tobago, recalled key achievements of the session and the work of his Presidency.
“We started the session in September with an particularly hectic although successful High-Level Week – that includes the SDG Summit and High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development, in addition to numerous different important achievements for multilateral diplomacy.”
He highlighted {that a} key side of his work was guaranteeing the UN’s relevance to its eight billion international constituents, having visited 31 nations and assembly with a variety of stakeholders – from authorities leaders to college students, girls, civil society and displaced households.
“My visits to Haiti, South Sudan, and Ukraine had been particularly poignant, as these nations are going through battle, insecurity, and aggression,” he stated, stressing that the UN’s efforts in these areas “are really lifesaving”.
President Francis delivers his closing tackle throughout the ultimate plenary assembly of the 78th session of the Basic Meeting.
Israel, Palestine, ‘uppermost in my thoughts’
Mr. Francis added that although he was unable to fulfill with Israelis and Palestinians on the bottom, within the neighborhood of the theatre of ongoing disaster, “developments there remained uppermost in my thoughts.”
He mentioned the disaster with leaders worldwide, together with Pope Francis, he added.
He expressed “honest hope” that ongoing diplomatic efforts will produce a ceasefire, even when short-term, and that this will in some way result in a political course of in direction of reaching long-lasting peace for the sake of the peoples of the area.
Challenges ‘not past our capability’
The Meeting President concluded his tackle reminding ambassadors that whereas the challenges confronting the worldwide group are complicated, “they’re definitely not past our capability to beat.”
He underscored the significance of unity, urging nations to confront international challenges with all accessible assets to construct a safer future, reiterating the significance of the United Nations as “one of many best forces for good on this planet and that we should work laborious to maintain its longevity.”
“Allow us to rise to the event. Allow us to ship on the guarantees we’ve made and allow us to work collectively in solidarity to construct a future that honours the hopes and desires of all peoples and really unites the nations…as the nice Nelson Mandela as soon as stated, ‘it at all times appears unimaginable till it’s carried out’.”
Philemon Yang takes over the gavel
The assembly additionally noticed Philemon Yang, President-elect of the 79th session of the Basic Meeting, take the oath of the office of the President of the Basic Meeting.
Mr. Yang declared he would carry out his duties honestly as Meeting President, appearing “in all loyalty, discretion and conscience.”
He dedicated to at all times exercising his authority as president in the very best pursuits of the United Nations and in accordance with the UN Charter and code of ethics.
President Dennis Francis then declared the 78th session closed and handed over the iconic gavel to President Yang.
The 79th session of the Basic Meeting convenes within the afternoon at 3 PM (New York time), with the session’s annual high-level basic debate happening from 24 September.
Additionally taking place in September are high-level conferences the threats posed by sea level rise (25 September), and elimination of nuclear weapons and antimicrobial resistance on 26 September.
