UN Leaders Push for Better Teamwork Between General Assembly and Security Council
In a recent chat with Xinhua news agency, Philemon Yang, the president of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), shared his thoughts on making the UN work better. He believes the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council should team up like partners to handle global crises more effectively. This kind of cooperation, he says, will boost the United Nations’ credibility and help it respond faster to world problems.
Yang points out that the UN Charter sets clear rules for both bodies. When the Security Council gets stuck—often because of vetoes from permanent members—the General Assembly should step in to keep things moving. "This way, we uphold the UN’s mission and ensure a coordinated response to global challenges," he explained. It’s all about avoiding deadlocks and keeping the peace.
He highlighted Action 42 from the Pact for the Future, a big agreement adopted by UN member states in September 2024. This pact commits countries to strengthen the General Assembly’s role in tackling evolving global issues, all while sticking to the UN Charter. The Pact for the Future also calls for urgent reforms to the UN Security Council. Yang stresses that pushing these changes through intergovernmental negotiations in the General Assembly could make the Security Council more effective in its job.
One exciting idea is building on the Veto Initiative, launched via a General Assembly resolution in 2022. This initiative promotes accountability and transparency whenever a permanent member uses their veto power. By requiring public explanations and reviews of vetoes, it holds the Security Council more responsible. Yang says this could discourage unnecessary vetoes that cause paralysis in urgent situations, like ongoing conflicts.
"The General Assembly has grown stronger and can act decisively during Security Council deadlocks," Yang added. He gave examples like the Emergency Special Sessions on Ukraine and the Middle East situation. Plus, Veto Initiative meetings have addressed crises in Sudan, Syria, and Mali over the past few years. These steps show how the world now sees the General Assembly as key to maintaining international peace and security when the Security Council can’t move forward. "The Assembly has the tools to help in times of need," he noted.
In the end, Yang emphasized that closer ties between the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council will make the entire United Nations more credible and capable. As global challenges like conflicts and climate issues keep rising, this teamwork could be a game-changer for world peace.
