UNGA confronts global crisis overload

UNITED NATIONS — Presidents, prime ministers, and potentates are assembling in New York for the 74th General Assembly.

During this annual rite of autumn, delegations from the U.N.’s 193 member states shall debate, discuss and hopefully find some common ground on a plethora of global crises ranging from bloody military conflicts, to tragic refugee outflows, and the undertow of poverty, underdevelopment and unpredictable natural disasters.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told correspondents, “We see trade wars and real wars … Tensions are boiling over.”

What is known as the General Debate, kicks off Tuesday (Sept. 24) with a week of high-level speeches and meetings ranging from trying to secure peace and international security, and engender global economic development.

President Donald Trump, Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro, France’s Emmanuel Macron, and South Korea’s Moon Jae-in are among the first to address the U.N. Assembly at a time of heightened crisis as well as elevated expectations.

Among controversial speakers this year include leaders from Turkey, Iran and Egypt.

Naturally while policy speeches may make headlines often the real story emerges from quiet one-toone meetings on the margins of the Assembly here at the U.N. or at nearby diplomatic missions. Will Trump meet with Iran’s Hassan Rouhani while in New York? Just two years ago President Trump delivered a fire and brimstone address to the Assembly aimed at North Korea in response to that reclusive country’s continued nuclear testing, intercontinental ballistic missile launches and military threats to East Asia and the U.S. North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong-un eventually blinked and a potentially deadly nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula was averted.

North Korea’s nuclear proliferation was not halted nor reversed but prudent diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang, supported by South Korea, stopped the clock from ticking toward explosive military confrontation.

Following the debate and continuing into the following months, delegations at the Assembly discuss and vote on over 200 agenda items ranging from peacekeeping missions, climate change and fulfilling the elusive sustainable development goals.

Let’s review some of the pressing political and humanitarian issues facing the renewed session.

Conflicts

The unrelenting onslaught of global conflict continues; Syria’s bloody civil war grinds on after more than eight years of unmitigated terror. More than 600,000 people have died and 5.6 million have become refugees since 2011. Though the Assad regime remains in power backed by Russia, sadly most of the opposition comprises jihadi and radical Islamist terrorist groups.

Yemen’s civil war slogs on as a proxy conflict between Iranian-backed factions and Saudi Arabia. The fighting has taken a dangerous new turn with allegedly Iranian-supported rebels using drones to attack and disable sensitive Saudi oil terminals. The incident has heightened U.S-Iranian tensions.

Secretary-General Guterres stated, “I strongly condemned this attack. I think this attack is a dramatic escalation in the Gulf, and I believe that we absolutely need to stop this kind of escalation.” He warned that military confrontation “would have devastating consequences for the region and globally.”

Afghanistan’s Islamic fundamentalist Taliban forces continue to battle a weak central government, the U.S and NATO allies remain politically torn as whether to keep militarily committed to this long-running South Asian war or make a deal with the devil.

At least a dozen other lethal conflicts continue from Congo to Libya and Mali to Ukraine.

Refugee outflows

Syria’s tragedy leads the list for the most tragic. As stated 5.6 million Syrians have fled their country; most remain in neighboring Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan. Furthermore over 6 million people have been internally displaced inside beleaguered Syria.

Venezuela continues to percolate politically. As the once prosperous country sinks deeper into chaos, 4 million people have fled Maduro’s socialist regime. Countries such as Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil are helping with the refugee overflow.

In Southeast Asia, Myanmar’s regime forced 900,000 Rohingya Muslims out of their homes. The U.N.’s World Food Program allocates $16 million monthly to help these unfortunates who mostly take refuge in neighboring Bangladesh.

Just in time for the new session, the U.S has new Ambassador Kelly Craft, who replaces the indefatigable Nikki Haley. Ambassador Craft stated she will be the “voice of America’s unwavering commitment to democracy, freedom, human rights, and, whenever possible, the peaceful resolution of conflicts.”

She added, “In a world marked by humanitarian crises and geopolitical challenges, strong American leadership is absolutely critical.”

Amb. Craft stated significantly, “I will defend America’s values and interests. I will stand by our friends and allies.”

Off and running for an interesting and very likely unpredictable new U.N. session.