UN General Assembly

for all, including through the mandated 2015 to 2024 International Decade for People of African Descent with the theme “People of African descent: recognition, justice and development,” and the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, observed on March 21.

Indeed, the General Assembly has sought to end discrimination in all its forms. It adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons in 1975, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in 1979, Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief in 1981, Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989 and, more recently, the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007.

In 2015, all member states adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development via Resolution 70/ 1. The Paris Climate Agreement began in embryonic form as a General Assembly resolution. These 21st century milestones of multilateralism demonstrate the recognition of memberstates that collective action is required to combat an existential threat and safeguard the world’s citizens and the planet we inhabit for generations to come. When faced with global challenges, solidarity remains our first and best line of defense.

No panacea

The UN, however, is not a panacea. Despite its best efforts, conflict and strife persists, and in some cases irreparable damage has been done to society. We could not prevent the genocide in Rwanda and the question of Palestine remains unresolved. These are regarded by many as cases in which the international community has fallen short. Therefore, we must reflect and continue to work together in the names of the communities that need us most, and in honor of UN peacekeepers and personnel who have paid the ultimate price in the line of duty.

The World Health Organization ( WHO) has led the global response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covidsince the onset of the crisis. The UN system has been most effective in galvanizing support for the most vulnerable. In the General Assembly, member states rallied to adopt resolutions calling for solidarity and global access to medicines and medical equipment. They have also taken historic steps to enable the General Assembly to operate and uphold the vital work of the United Nations during this period by adopting decisions under new rules and procedures.

The 75th anniversary of the UN takes place at a moment of reckoning for our shared planet and shared future. This is a time for action, ambition and partnership. By July 1, 2020, over 10 million cases had been reported to WHO and more than 500,000 people had succumbed to the effects of Covid-19. This pandemic has exacerbated preexisting inequalities and the socioeconomic impact is unprecedented in the history of our organization. The executive director of the World Food Program, David Beasley, warns of a famine “of biblical proportions;” the United Nations Economic and Social Council reports that 1.6 billion children are unable to attend school in person; and the pandemic continues to disproportionately affect women and vulnerable groups, such as refugees and internally displaced persons.

Call to action

Our continued response will require a recommitment to multilateralism as we build back better in this Decade of Action (2020 to 2030) to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2015, the membership of the General Assembly pledged to leave no one behind and shift the world onto a path of sustainable development and prosperity for all. We are in an unprecedented situation, and we must redouble our efforts to achieve the SDGs on time. This is a call to action for the United Nations as we reflect upon the future we want and the UN we need.

Three quarters of a century ago, the founders of our organization demonstrated fortitude at a time of crisis. They chose to trust one another and unite in pursuit of a better world. In the inaugural address of the first president of the General Assembly, Paul- Henri Spaak stated, “It is possible that one day, in the future, the pessimists may be right; I do not know. But I do know that today they are wrong. In San Francisco, they announced that the Charter could never be established; in London, that the organization would never come into existence; in the past few weeks, that we should never meet again, and now, no doubt, that we are going to tear each other to pieces.” (

On the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, let it be clear that we will not let the founders of our organization or ourselves down. “We the peoples” must remain steadfast in our resolve to advance the goals and principles of our Charter.