What to know from the UN: Leaders speak of emerging threats, hints of war as big meeting nears
UNITED NATIONS — The security cordons are up. The streets are ready to be closed off. Planes from countless countries are landing in New York.
For the eastern part of Manhattan, this means one thing: the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations is just around the corner.
The UN General Assembly’s high-level leaders’ meeting Tuesday comes amid a troubled world — perhaps even more troubled than last year, when the head of the United Nations warned that the problems were overwhelming. Secretary-General ANTONIO GUTERRES is likely to issue a similar warning Tuesday as he opens the meeting, and world leaders take the stage amid war and talk of war.
The day before the big meeting, there were plenty of hints about the agenda for the coming days:
— World leaders spoke at an event called the “Summit of the Future,” with many focusing on emerging threats to the Earth’s climate, on the battlefield and in cyberspace.
— Iran’s president pointed to the deadly explosions of pagers and other devices in Lebanon and the killing of Hamas political leader ISMAIL HANIYEH as evidence that Israel is trying to lure Iran into war.
— Most of the world’s systems are disrupted when it comes to climate change. There are big differences between countries about who should help poor countries cope with the consequences and switch to cleaner energy.
Below is a daily guide to what’s happening at the United Nations this week, day by day:
A WARNING ABOUT CYBERSPACE: At the “Summit of the Future,” Indian Prime Minister NARENDRA MODI raised concerns about “emerging conflict zones”, including cyberspace. “There is a need for balanced regulation at the global level for the safe and responsible use of technology,” Modi said, warning that “we need global digital governance that ensures that national sovereignty and integrity are upheld.”
CHINESE INITIATIVES: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke about important initiatives taken by Beijing, such as the Belt and Road Programwhich encourages Chinese companies to build Chinese-funded transportation, energy and infrastructure projects abroad. He also touched on a number of common Chinese complaints, such as criticism of “bloc confrontation” and sanctions imposed by one country.
PUBLIC ME SILENCED: Representing a country where the average age is 28, Ecuador’s president urged the international community to have “a clear vision” on youth education and employment. Then, suddenly, no one could hear him. DANIEL NOBOA AZIN’s microphone was cut off. Speaking time limits are often not enforced at top-level UN meetings, but at the Summit of the Future, the microphone was cut off after five minutes. Among the leaders who ran up against the time limit: Brazilian President LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh SABAH KHALID AL SABAH and Irish President MICHAEL HIGGINS.
US Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN says the coming leadership changes in Japan and the United States will not affect their security commitment in Northeast Asia.
Speaking at a meeting with Japanese and South Korean foreign ministers on the sidelines of the General Assembly, Blinken said the U.S. presidential race pitting Vice President Kamala Harris against former President Donald Trump, as well as the impending retirement of Japanese Prime Minister FUMIO KISHIDA, will not change the three countries’ shared resolve to counter threats from China and North Korea. He said cooperation between the three allies following last year’s historic Camp David summit between the leaders is “stronger than ever, more effective than ever, and more important than ever, given the shared challenges we face and the many opportunities we have before us.”
A group of scientists has produced the first of what they hope will be an annual planetary health check. The prognosis is grim.
Earth is in the danger zone in six of nine special systems that scientists have examined, while a seventh is in the danger zone and may already have crossed the line, according to the “planetary health check” from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research and the group called Planetary GuardiansThe six areas that are definitely not in order are the freshwater system, climate, the phosphorus cycle, biodiversity, general land health and “new” chemicals (such as microplastics). Ocean acidification is about to cross the danger line or may already have done so, the report says.
Only the ozone layer and air health are in reasonable shape, said Potsdam Institute Director JOHAN ROCKSTROM, who has conducted a similar planetary health check every few years and there is Not much change from last year.
“For 30, 40 years the world has been aware that the Earth is going in the wrong direction, but we did not feel that the Earth was on fire. Right now the planet is on fire and that is why we have to take action,” former Colombian President JUAN MANUEL SANTOS said at a press conference.
Leaders from countries around the world spoke one by one at the UN’s “Summit of the Future.” Or, in the case of San Marino, two by two.
For centuries, the tiny European republic has had two heads of state at any given time. They’re called capitani reggenti — in English, captains regent — and they’re elected every six months by the country’s 60-person legislature. The current captains regent, ALESSANDRO ROSSI and MILENA GASPERONI, take turns delivering speeches for their countries. The speeches have covered topics such as refugees, food waste, violent extremism and the value of multilateralism — the type of broadly based international system represented by the UN.
“In the case of small states, international law is seen as the only protection in the event of a threat to their existence, and multilateral forums provide a valuable megaphone to amplify their voices, which would otherwise remain unheard,” Gasperoni said.
Number of women who will speak during the general debate, out of a total of 194 speakers: 19.
“They are dragging us to a point where we don’t want to go. There is no winner in warfare.”
—Iranian President MASOUD PEZESHKIAN, speaking about Israel
“Today, a cat in Kabul has more freedoms than a woman. A cat can sit on her front steps and feel the sun on her face. She can chase a squirrel into the park. A squirrel has more rights than a girl in Afghanistan today, because the Taliban have closed public parks for women and girls. A bird can sing in Kabul, but a girl cannot, and a woman cannot, in public. This is extraordinary.”
—Actor MERYL STREEP, during a discussion focused on Afghan women
“Leaders need to ask themselves whether this will be another meeting where they just talk about greater cooperation and consensus, or whether they will have the imagination and conviction to actually forge it. With multiple crises around the world … if they miss this opportunity, I shudder to think of the consequences. Our collective future is at stake.”
—Agnesty International Secretary General AGNÈS CALLAMARD
Caribbean leaders want big polluters, especially fossil fuel companies, to pay more of the trillions of dollars the world needs to help poor countries cope with the impacts of climate change and transition to cleaner energy.
In a short video appearance, Barbados Prime Minister MIA MOTTLEY, a leader in calling for global financial reform and seen as a possible future UN secretary-general, said poorer and middle-income countries were realizing that private money had to be part of the financial deal. But she said many multinationals, which are richer than dozens of small countries, would have to cough up more dollars.
Bahamas Prime Minister PHILIP DAVIS said fossil fuel companies must be held accountable, but that this will likely have to be done through international litigation in the courts.
JOHN PODESTA, Biden’s top climate official, says the United States is doing its part to combat climate change and that’s paying off globally. Podesta said the $300 billion Inflation Reduction Act spurred private companies to spend $270 billion on clean energy. But the payoff wasn’t just in the United States: for every ton of heat-trapping carbon the country reduced because of the new law, the world reduced 2.9 tons, he said.
Tuesday includes JOE BIDEN’s final speech as president of the United States, after five decades on the world stage. Conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, Ukraine and Sudan are expected to be central throughout the week. Guterres will open the debate on Tuesday morning.
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AP writers Seth Borenstein and Matthew Lee contributed. See more AP coverage of the UN General Assembly at https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations