The 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly's general debate concluded on the 29th at UN Headquarters in New York.
In his closing remarks, President of the 80th UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis, said that over the past week, representatives from 189 member states, including 124 heads of state and government, delivered speeches. Several themes struck a strong chord among participants, with peace and security being the most important. The message from the representatives was clear: United Nations member states must take more action to curb the wave of war and violence, including protecting and providing relief to starving civilians in Gaza, restoring peace in Ukraine, and protecting women and girls in Sudan, among other issues. Representatives also discussed topics such as the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, the UN reform agenda, financial reform, and more.
On the 22nd, the General Assembly held a high-level meeting to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. All parties present emphasized the need to reaffirm their commitment to multilateralism and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, advance together, and strengthen the role of the United Nations. On the same day, the General Assembly also convened an international high-level conference on the peaceful resolution of the Palestinian issue and the implementation of the "two-state solution." Countries including France announced their recognition of the State of Palestine, and calls from the international community to implement the "two-state solution" were further strengthened.
The United Nations General Assembly is the main deliberative, supervisory, and review body of the United Nations, composed of all UN member states. The Assembly holds regular sessions annually from September to December, typically divided into two segments: the initial general debate stage, followed by the stage for discussion and deliberation of agenda items.