UNGA to convene Emergency session on Oct 26 as requested by Jordan & others

President Dennis Francis of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) said on Tuesday that he will convene the emergency special session of the UNGA on October 26, after receiving the letter of request from the Permanent Representative of Jordan and many others to hold the tenth special emergency session to resume as soon as possible.

In a press statement from the UNGA President, he said: “I have the honor to inform you that I have received the attached letter dated October 19, 2023 from HM Mahmoud Hmoud, Permanent Representative of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and HM Sidi Mohamed Laghdaf, Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, in their respective capacities as Chairman of the Arab Group and Chairman of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and requests that the tenth emergency special session of the General Assembly be resumed as soon as possible. “

The press release added: “In addition, I have received a letter from the Permanent Representatives of the Republic of Nicaragua, the Russian Federation and the Chargé d’Affaires of the Syrian Arab Republic, as well as a letter from the Permanent Representatives of the People’s Republic. of Bangladesh, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Maldives, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Chargé d’Affaires of Brunei Darussalam, relating to the same matter, as attached.”

He also stated: “In this regard, I have the further honor to inform you that, in accordance with resolution ES-10/20 of June 13, 2018, I will convene the 39th Plenary of the Tenth Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly. ” Meeting on Thursday, October 26, 2023 at 10 a.m. in the General Assembly Hall, UN Headquarters, New York.

The UNGA President also talked about the meeting on Thursday, October 26, 2023.”

This comes after the Hamas attack on Israel, in which more than 1,400 Israelis were killed, mostly in the first Hamas attack. In addition, 203 people were reportedly captured by Hamas during the raid and taken to Gaza, the Israeli army said.

In retaliation, Israel also launched airstrikes and counter-ground attacks against the Hamas terror group and destroyed several Hamas-controlled buildings in Gaza.

According to the UN website, a special emergency session can be convened within 24 hours. “If it is not in session at that time, the General Meeting may convene in a special emergency session within twenty-four hours of the request. Such emergency special session shall be convened if the Security Council so requests, by the vote of seven members, or by a majority of the members of the United Nations.”

This special session shall be convened if, owing to the absence of unanimity among its permanent members, it fails to discharge its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security in any case where there appears to be a threat to the peace, breach of the peace or of an act of aggression, the General Assembly shall immediately consider the matter with a view to making appropriate recommendations to the Members for collective action, including, in the event of disruption of the peace or an act of aggression, the use of armed force when necessary, to maintain peace or restore international peace and security, as indicated on the UNGA website.