Although slightly less dramatic, the UNGA debates were still a creative chaos
On Tuesday, world leaders appeared with pre-recorded videos made for an unprecedented general assembly debate. Without the usual bustle and theatrics of the event, the normally-full chamber was virtually empty.
The secretary general of the UN, Antonio Guterres was one of the few who could deliver his speech in person. He started by warning the world against the start of a new cold war between The US and China.
"We are moving in a very dangerous direction," Mr Guterres said. "Our world cannot afford a future where the two largest economies split the globe in a Great Fracture - each with its own trade and financial rules and internet and artificial intelligence capacities. A technological and economic divide risks inevitably turning into a geostrategic and military divide. We must avoid this at all costs."
Guterres also observed that the pandemic has exploited the injustices of the world. People are hurting, our planet is burning, he said, imploring world leaders to see Covid-19 as a wake up call and a dress rehearsal for the challenges ahead.
Russia, the US and China, three of the great bullies of the 21st century, who have tightened their grip on the organisation since its foundation and shamelessly abused their veto rights, had the honour to be programmed for the opening day.
USA
In a speech that was short of yelling, Donald Trump launched a ferocious attack on China. He named the country 11 times in all and named Covid-19 the “China virus”. His America First foreign policy has seen the US thumb its nose at multilateral agreements from the Paris Climate accord to the Iran nuclear deal; this is while China is visibly positioning itself as the new supporter of the United Nations.
China
Xi Jinping attempted to adopt the role of the well-behaved adult superpower in the room. Unlike Trump, he spoke the language of multilateralism and announced that China’s carbon dioxide emissions would peak by 2030 and the country would reach carbon neutrality by 2060. These were targets the EU has been urging Beijing to agree to.
Russia
Putin’s Russia began by arguing that the five permanent members of the UN Security Council should retain their “veto power” over UN resolutions. Just from 2011 when Syria’s uprising began Russia has vetoed 12 UN Security Council resolutions concerning the conflict.
In his video message, Putin also offered free vaccinations to UN staff, claiming his country’s Covid vaccine was “reliable, safe and effective”. The offer is however unlikely to resonate well considering it is coming from a former KGB officer who is widely believed to have approved the use of poisons such as the Novichok nerve agent.
France
In his 45-minute-long epic, Emanuel Macron sought to assert himself as a global leadership figure as Trump and others stepped away from UN multilateralism in favour of nationalism and isolation. Katha Strophe, an UN-aligned member, described Macron as that one student that can't stop talking and will continue even after the lesson is over.
Macron also criticised the US for withdrawing from the Iran nuclear agreement and for its sanctions.
“The maximum pressure strategy, which has been underway for several years, has not at this stage made it possible to end Iran’s destabilising activities or to ensure that it will not be able to acquire nuclear weapons,” Macron said.
“This is why France, along with its German and British partners, will maintain its demand for the full implementation of the 2015 Vienna Agreement and will not accept the violations committed by Iran. He added: “We will not compromise on the activation of a (sanctions) mechanism that the United States on its own, leaving the agreement, is not in a position to activate.
“This would undermine the unity of the Security Council, the integrity of its decisions and it would run the risk of further aggravating tensions in the region.”
UN Coverage
Compared to last year, the United Nations is trying its best to keep all information accessible to everyone. This year you can find all written statements, a summary of the speeches as well as an audio version of the speeches on SoundCloud. These efforts are greatly appreciated and certainly a step towards modernising the organisation.
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