Follow our live coverage on the UN General Assembly
In the months since the UN General assembly was last convened, in the autumn of 2023, the number of issues dominating the international agenda has only increased.
Conflicts in Sudan and Ukraine were already dire. Adding to the list of tragedies is Hamas’s attack last October, and Israel's war in Gaza that has left more than 41,400 Palestinians dead and more than double that number injured. There has also been a deadly worsening of Israeli attacks in the West Bank, and the exchange of attacks between Lebanon and Israel.
But global leaders meeting in New York on Tuesday know all too well that the world isn't just struggling with wars. The world is confronted with intertwined challenges – of climate, economic insecurity and the very real threat of more pandemics.
Yet, in the face of such enormous obstacles, it is clear that the multilateral system is failing to deliver. This is a cause of worry for countries around the world and not just those located close to these crises.
Important as it is to focus on the immediate problems, however, it is also crucial that our leaders don't lose sight of some of the longer-term goals. This is because, according to the UN's midpoint review of its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the world is falling short of meeting critical targets such as eliminating hunger and poverty, providing education and access to sanitation, and delivering on climate action and economic growth.
Some notable progress notwithstanding, the world needs a reality check. There are broad-scope, big-ticket issues that need international consensus – on sustainable development and financing better global governance, which includes peace and stability, as well as job opportunities for the youth.
Many countries are already in agreement that today's evolving world requires systemic changes inside the UN
In an interview with The National, the UAE’s permanent representative to the UN, Mohamed Abushahab, spoke about the urgent need for the international community to use existing governance structures to resolve the great challenges of our time. "We must leverage UN mechanisms to ensure that international humanitarian law is upheld and aid reaches those in need," Mr Abushahab said.
Indeed, given the confluence of geopolitical and economic tensions, it is imperative that the UN reclaim its space as a platform for collective action. But doing so would require reform.
As Dennis Francis, president of the 78th session of the General Assembly, wrote in these pages, the current system has limits. Tackling the many challenges, Mr Francis said, requires "a multilateral system that is agile, evolutionary and is well equipped to meet the challenges of the times".
Some of the most serious challenges are also among the most intractable. This is due, in part, to the current structure of the UN Security Council and its voting system. The UAE, among other countries, has led calls for its reform.
Given its own success in building consensus, evident at last year's Cop28, it is little wonder that the Emirates and countries like it have a long-held view that changes at the highest level are key to preserving multilateralism.
Whether it is reviewing the veto power at the Security Council, or finding ways to diversify funding sources to reduce reliance on member state contributions, there are a number of issues that call for discussions and collective action.
Many countries are already in agreement that today's evolving world requires systemic changes inside the UN. The coming week, and the subsequent months, therefore provide the international community with an opportunity to stress once again the importance of the UN and look at ways to ensure it is an institution that is truly fit for the present day.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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BMW M5 specs
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Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier
Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August
Group A
Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar
Group B
UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
JAPANESE GRAND PRIX INFO
Schedule (All times UAE)
First practice: Friday, 5-6.30am
Second practice: Friday, 9-10.30am
Third practice: Saturday, 7-8am
Qualifying: Saturday, 10-11am
Race: Sunday, 9am-midday
Race venue: Suzuka International Racing Course
Circuit Length: 5.807km
Number of Laps: 53
Watch live: beIN Sports HD
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
AIDA%20RETURNS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECarol%20Mansour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAida%20Abboud%2C%20Carol%20Mansour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5.%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Avatar%20(2009)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJames%20Cameron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESam%20Worthington%2C%20Zoe%20Saldana%2C%20Sigourney%20Weaver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Cricket World Cup League 2 Fixtures
Saturday March 5, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy (all matches start at 9.30am)
Sunday March 6, Oman v Namibia, ICC Academy
Tuesday March 8, UAE v Namibia, ICC Academy
Wednesday March 9, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy
Friday March 11, Oman v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Saturday March 12, UAE v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri, Muhammad Waseem, CP Rizwan, Vriitya Aravind, Asif Khan, Basil Hameed, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Karthik Meiyappan, Akif Raja, Rahul Bhatia
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
ELECTION%20RESULTS
%3Cp%3EMacron%E2%80%99s%20Ensemble%20group%20won%20245%20seats.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20second-largest%20group%20in%20parliament%20is%20Nupes%2C%20a%20leftist%20coalition%20led%20by%20Jean-Luc%20Melenchon%2C%20which%20gets%20131%20lawmakers.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20far-right%20National%20Rally%20fared%20much%20better%20than%20expected%20with%2089%20seats.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20centre-right%20Republicans%20and%20their%20allies%20took%2061.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results:
Men's wheelchair 800m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 1.44.79; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 1.45.88; 3. Isaac Towers (GBR) 1.46.46.
