Remarks by H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly
New York,
8 November 2021
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Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
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Thank you for joining today’s Joint Debate on Revitalization of the General Assembly.
No other intergovernmental body in the world enjoys a universal membership and also covers such a broad spectrum of issues as the General Assembly.
The General Assembly deals with critical issues – many of them interlinked – related to development, disarmament, education, environment, health crises, humanitarian assistance, human rights, and counter-terrorism, among many others.
Effective policymaking in all these areas by the General Assembly is obviously of crucial importance to the peoples of the world.
As the chief policy and deliberative organ of the United Nations, it is incumbent upon the General Assembly to examine itself, to look at its own working methods, to ensure it is responding to the most urgent issues that impact on humanity, on our daily lives.
This is the reason why “Revitalizing the United Nations” is one of my top priorities, the fifth Ray of Hope under my Presidency. I believe that a stronger United Nations is necessary to build a resilient world. And for a stronger United Nations, we need a stronger General Assembly.
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Excellencies,
At its 75th Session, the Assembly decided to biennialize the GA Revitalization resolution, and asked the Ad Hoc Working Group to focus on implementation of the resolution during the 76th Session. This will give time and, hopefully, greater political will, for the recommendations to be fully implemented.
For this Session, the Ad Hoc Working Group will concentrate on two of its four regular topics – the “Role and Authority of the General Assembly,” and on “Working Methods.”
Allow me then to focus on two action points to guide the work of the Ad Hoc Working Group:
First, the disparity of power between the General Assembly and the Security Council has certainly been a key motivating factor in the General Assembly revitalization debate.
While the drafters of the 蘑菇视频 Charter had envisioned separate but equally important roles for the General Assembly and Security Council, the role and authority of the General Assembly, is mostly shaped by opposing priorities between Member States; an unwieldy agenda that does not necessarily deal with the most urgent issues on a priority basis; repetitive and lengthy debates; and a slow decision-making process.
The GA is what the Member States make it out to be. While its recommendations are not binding, let’s not forget the role that the General Assembly has played in setting standards and the codification of international law. For example, it was in the General Assembly that the Universal Declaration on Human Rights was adopted.
In this regard, it’s my sincere appeal to Member States to explore innovations in the General Assembly that could reaffirm both its unparalleled convening power and its pre-eminence as the “chief deliberative, policy-making and representative organ of the United Nations.”? ?
Second, on Working Methods, I cannot overemphasize the need to further streamline the General Assembly’s agenda. We are all aware that many opaque or recycled resolutions are adopted year after year with few substantive updates; mostly without mechanisms to ensure, or even assess their implementation.
We must continue to identify where we can biennialize and triennialize resolutions, and dedicate more time for dialogue, as well as for implementation of the adopted resolutions.
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Excellencies,
I would like to thank Her Excellency Ambassador Ms. Egriselda López, Permanent Representative of El Salvador, for her re-appointment as co-Chair.
I would also like to thank His Excellency Ambassador Mitch Fifield, Permanent Representative of Australia, for accepting the role of co-Chair.
I urge you to give them your full support.
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Excellencies,
Our shared aspiration is to continue to make the General Assembly more effective, efficient and relevant in 21st century international diplomacy.
I simply request one thing for this Session:
Let us all have frank and constructive discussions on the revitalization agenda to truly empower the General Assembly not only as the pre-eminent deliberative body in the United Nations system, but also for its normative impact in strengthening multilateralism.
Excellencies,
I wish the Ad Hoc Working Group every success for this Session.
I thank you.
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Throughout our disarmament efforts, it is my conviction that women and youth can make a meaningful contribution. Let us take special pains to ensure that women and youth, as well as civil society, are more actively engaged in this work going forward.