As Russia's invasion of Ukraine drags on, world leaders have gathered in New York, USA, to attend the 78th United Nations General Assembly, often called the "Super Bowl of diplomacy." This week marks the high-level week of the General Assembly, featuring keynote speeches and meetings among heads of state. However, this year, among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, all except the United States are absent.
According to the UN on the 18th (local time), during the General Debate of the high-level week starting on the 19th at the UN Headquarters in New York, leaders, prime ministers, and ministers from 193 member states are scheduled to deliver speeches representing their countries. The General Debate is the premier diplomatic stage where world leaders express their views on current issues and concerns.
Following last year, the Ukraine war is expected to be a major agenda item again this year. Leaders are anticipated to urge a swift resolution, highlighting the severe human casualties caused by the prolonged war and its negative impact on global security and the economy. Additionally, climate change, human rights, and the food crisis are expected to be key topics.
As customary, this year Brazil's President Luiz In?cio Lula da Silva will be the first speaker at the General Debate. Brazil volunteered to speak first after no other country wanted the initial speech, establishing a tradition. Following him, U.S. President Joe Biden, representing the host country, will speak second.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, will deliver a speech on the morning of the first day, marking his first in-person attendance at the UN General Assembly since Russia's invasion. President Zelenskyy is expected to appeal to the United States and the West for active additional support. On the 21st, he is scheduled to hold a summit with President Biden at the White House and visit the U.S. Senate.
President Yoon Suk-yeol will speak on the second day, the 20th, delivering a message warning North Korea and Russia and calling for international solidarity. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will speak on the 21st.
However, among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, only the United States will have a head of state attending the General Debate this year. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose absence was anticipated early on, will not attend, nor will French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The French side stated that President Macron will be absent due to hosting King Charles III's visit to Paris this week. No specific reason has been disclosed for Prime Minister Sunak's absence, who was expected to make his UN General Assembly debut this year.
Locally, the absence of these major world leaders from the UN General Assembly is seen as reflecting the waning stature of the UN. The UN Security Council, based on consensus among its members, has been criticized for being practically non-functional in recent years due to the intensified U.S.-China-Russia rivalry. Last year, the adoption of a resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine was blocked by Russia, a permanent member, and several attempts to adopt resolutions condemning North Korea's ICBM launches were also thwarted by China and Russia. The Ukraine invasion is widely regarded as a clear demonstration of the Security Council's loss of function.
Accordingly, there are expectations that discussions on reforming the Security Council system will intensify during this UN General Assembly. Proposals include expanding the number of permanent members or significantly reducing the veto power of permanent members to eliminate the drawbacks of concentrated power. Countries such as Japan, India, Germany, Brazil, and South Africa are reportedly seeking permanent membership. John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House National Security Council (NSC), said, "Discussions on Security Council reform will arise," adding, "Expanding permanent membership more inclusively is possible."
Meanwhile, North Korea will not send government officials to the General Debate for the fifth consecutive year. North Korea's speech is scheduled for the last day, September 26, as the 10th speaker in the morning. Ambassador Kim Song, North Korea's Permanent Representative to the UN, is expected to deliver the speech again this year, following last year.
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