UN General Assembly Convenes Amid Wars, Divisions, and Uncertainty/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ World leaders convene at the UN General Assembly facing wars in Gaza and Ukraine, deep global divisions, and funding crises. Secretary-General António Guterres urged leaders to bridge divides and act on poverty, climate change, and AI oversight. The session will feature speeches from President Trump, Netanyahu, Zelenskyy, and Iran’s Pezeshkian, with Palestine a central issue.
UN General Assembly + Quick Look
- 150 leaders expected at UN headquarters for annual high-level week.
- Wars in Gaza and Ukraine dominate the agenda.
- Palestine a flashpoint: Abbas denied U.S. visa, to address via video.
- Trump returns to UN in first appearance of second term.
- Israel rejects two-state solution, Palestinians push recognition.
- Funding crisis: U.S. cuts push UN to trim staff, budget.
- Iran sanctions “snapback” deadline looms Sept. 27.
- Sudan, Somalia, Haiti also on agenda, along with climate change.
- Beijing women’s conference anniversary highlights stalled gender equality progress.
- Guterres calls for UN reform to stay relevant in 2025.
Deep Look: UN General Assembly Opens Amid Wars and Global Divisions
The United Nations General Assembly opens this week under extraordinary strain, with global leaders gathering in New York as conflicts rage, political divisions deepen, and the UN itself faces a severe financial and credibility crisis.
A World in Turmoil
Secretary-General António Guterres warned that international cooperation is under pressure “unseen in our lifetimes.” Wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan, widening inequality, and runaway technologies like artificial intelligence are testing the institution’s ability to respond.
“We are gathering in turbulent — even uncharted — waters,” Guterres said, calling on leaders to move beyond “posturing and promises” and instead deliver tangible progress on peace, climate action, and poverty reduction.
Central Flashpoints: Gaza and Palestine
The ongoing war in Gaza, now approaching its second year, is expected to dominate proceedings. Israel’s latest offensive in Gaza City has forced thousands to flee, while a recent UN Human Rights Council report accused Israel of genocide — a charge Israel rejects as “distorted and false.”
Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour declared Palestine the “elephant in the room” at this year’s session. A France- and Saudi Arabia-led meeting Monday on reviving a two-state solution will be in the spotlight, heightened by the U.S. decision to deny Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a visa. Instead, the General Assembly voted to allow Abbas to speak by video, echoing a similar exception made for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2022.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has flatly rejected Palestinian statehood, further complicating the path forward.
Trump Returns to the World Stage
For many diplomats, President Donald Trump’s return is another focal point. In his first UN appearance of his second term, Trump is expected to highlight his foreign policy record, defend tariffs, and address U.S. relations with Russia and China.
Observers, including Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group, expect Trump to seek recognition for what he calls peace accomplishments — even as conflicts he pledged to resolve continue to escalate.
Other Leaders to Watch
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy, attending in person, will again urge support for Ukraine as its war with Russia enters its fourth year.
- Ahmad al-Sharaa, interim president of Syria following Bashar Assad’s ouster, makes his international debut.
- Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian arrives days before the Sept. 27 deadline for a possible “snapback” of UN sanctions tied to Tehran’s nuclear program.
Beyond Gaza and Ukraine: Other Global Crises
The high-level week will address:
- Sudan’s civil war, which has sparked the world’s largest displacement crisis.
- Somalia’s battle with al-Shabab extremists.
- Haiti’s spiraling violence, where gangs now control over 90% of the capital.
- Climate change, with urgent calls for accelerated emissions cuts and adaptation funding.
A 30th anniversary event will also mark the Beijing women’s conference, but the UN warns gender equality remains centuries away at the current pace.
UN in Financial Peril
The UN itself faces existential challenges. U.S. funding cuts have forced the organization to propose a 15% budget reduction for 2026 — bringing operating expenses down to $3.2 billion — and a 19% cut in staff, eliminating nearly 2,700 positions.
Guterres is pushing for reforms to keep the UN relevant, but skepticism abounds. “The UN’s resonance on peace and security issues is unquestionably not what it was,” said analyst Richard Gowan. “But the organization will continue to muddle through.”
A Moment of Reckoning
This year’s General Assembly comes at a time when multilateral institutions are questioned as never before. The wars in Gaza and Ukraine, deep divisions in U.S. foreign policy, and the rise of new power centers have exposed cracks in the UN’s founding mission.
Whether this gathering produces progress or only deepens frustration remains an open question.
As Guterres put it, leaders must choose between “building hope or fueling despair.”
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