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UN General Assembly adopts Gaza ceasefire resolution by overwhelming majority

·June 16, 2025·2 min read

The move followed the Security Council’s failure to pass a similar resolution last week owing to a lone veto by permanent member the United States. The resolution was backed by 149 Member States, with 12 voting against and 19 abstaining. Among those opposing the resolution were the United States and...

Germany’s Annalena Baerbock elected President of the 80th General Assembly

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·June 3, 2025·3 min read

She assumes the role at a challenging time, with ongoing conflicts, faltering development goals, mounting financial pressures, and the upcoming selection of the next Secretary-General. Ms. Baerbock received 167 votes following the secret ballot. Write-in candidate Helga Schmid (also from Germany) received seven. Fourteen delegations abstained. She becomes the first...

Bridging the divide: General Assembly President on UN reforms and Africa’s digital future

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·February 8, 2025·4 min read

In an interview with UN News, Philémon Yang, President of the General Assembly expressed particular concern for the challenges faced by African countries, and the need to bridge the development divide between the Global South and the developed world. The interview took place shortly after a Security Council meeting on...

General Assembly approves $3.72 billion UN budget for 2025

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·December 25, 2024·1 min read

The approved $3.72 billion regular budget (RB) for 2025 represents an increase of about $1 million over the Secretary-General’s October proposal to the Assembly’s Fifth Committee, which oversees administrative and budgetary matters. The regular budget funds UN programmes across key areas, including political affairs, international justice and law, regional cooperation...

UN General Assembly adopts milestone cybercrime treaty

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·December 25, 2024·2 min read

The agreement on the legally binding treaty marked the culmination of a five-year effort by UN Member States, with inputs from civil society, information security experts, academia and the private sector. UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the adoption of the Convention – the first international criminal justice treaty to have...

UN General Assembly demands Gaza ceasefire and hostage release, affirms ‘full support’ for UNRWA

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·December 13, 2024·3 min read

The actions were taken at the Assembly’s resumed 10th emergency special session, following the failure of the Security Council to adopt a resolution demanding such a ceasefire and full hostage release. Despite securing 14 votes in favour, that text put forward by the 10 elected members of the Council, failed...

UN General Assembly boosts global fight against illegal trade in cultural artifacts

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·December 9, 2024·2 min read

Backed by more than 140 nations and adopted without a vote, the resolution recognised that addressing the unlawful trade in such items is vital to preserve the identity and traditions of communities worldwide and enabling them to freely practice and safeguard priceless heritage. It also acknowledged the devastating impact of...

Middle East crisis: Live updates as General Assembly meets on UNRWA and more

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·November 7, 2024·1 min read

Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini made an impassioned plea to protect the UN agency for Palestine refugees at the General Assembly’s meeting on UNRWA’s fate days after Israel informed the world body of new laws to ban it as bombings and displacement continued on Wednesday across Gaza and Lebanon, with UN officials...

‘Africa must continue to rise,’ says General Assembly President

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·October 15, 2024·2 min read

In a speech delivered during a debate on African development, Assembly  President Philémon Yang addressed the continent’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s (AU) related framework, known as Agenda 2063. “There has never been a better time to accelerate progress towards peace, prosperity and sustainable...

Sudan crisis: Countries gather at UN General Assembly for action call

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·September 25, 2024·1 min read

With war raging in Sudan and no end in sight to the catastrophic hunger crisis it has created, UN agencies and Member States meeting at the General Assembly in New York on Wednesday prepared to issue a renewed call for urgent action to protect the country’s people....

LIVE: General Assembly resumes emergency special session on Palestine

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·September 17, 2024·1 min read

Ambassadors in the UN General Assembly again discussed on Monday the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and the critical work of the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, which is facing an existential threat, hearing a briefing by its Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, and holding a heated debate on the US...

General Assembly wraps up with calls for unity and resolve

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·September 11, 2024·3 min read

Secretary-General António Guterres said the past year had been marked by ongoing poverty, inequality and conflict, emphasizing that it was also the hottest year on record. Addressing the session’s final plenary meeting, he highlighted the “hope and inspiration” in what can be achieved if the global community worked as one....