NEW YORK
\nEmphasizing the United Nations General Assembly\u2019s status as the only U.N. forum with universal representation, Pakistan has urged the 193-member body to enhance the credibility of its decisions by setting up a mechanism to monitor the implementation of its own resolutions.
\n\u201cThis authority is explicit whenever the Security Council is unable to act or is prevented from acting,\u201d Ambassador Munir Akram said in a debate on revitalizing the work of the General Assembly.
\nIn this regard, the Pakistani envoy cited the Oct 27 Assembly resolution calling for a \u201chumanitarian truce\u201d in Israel\u2019s war on Gaza after the Security Council was stymied by the major powers\u2019 use of votes.
\n\u201cIn such circumstances,\u201d he added, \u201cthe voice of the entire membership has not only moral but also considerable legal force,\u201d noting that the Assembly\u2019s recommendations create obligations for the entire international community and the UN system.
\n\u201cWe hope that the members of the Security Council will also adhere to this General Assembly resolution.\u201d
\nAmbassador Akram emphasized that the General Assembly, under the U.N. Charter, has vast complementary and residual authority in relation to the promotion and preservation of international peace and security.
\nThe Assembly\u2019s role in peace and security also extends to addressing the root causes of conflicts and disputes and promoting the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter and UN resolutions, he pointed out.
\n\u201cWhile we need to improve the Assembly\u2019s processes and methods of work, the revitalization of the Assembly is a political issue, not one of process alone,\u201d Ambassador Akram said.
\nBut, the Pakistani envoy added, \u201cThe Assembly\u2019s deficiencies arise from the inability and, in large measure, the unwillingness of some of its major member states to allow it to fully utilize its authority and potential.\u201d
\nFurther, he said, \u201cThe Assembly is authorized to consider and approve the UN budget and arrangements regarding the budgets of certain specialized agencies. Efforts to erode the authority and role of the Assembly\u2019s Administrative and Budgetary (Fifth) Committee must be resisted.\u201d
\n\u201cThe role of the Committee for Programme and Coordination needs to be strengthened, and ACABQ needs to be told to avoid arbitrary positions in its budgetary recommendations,\u201d he added.
\nOpening the debate, General Assembly President Dennis Francis said, \u201cThe images of the human cost of the Mideast conflict and humanitarian crises are being etched indelibly into the public consciousness.\u201d
\n\u201cThey no doubt feel intense frustration and disillusionment when the organization charged with stopping it seems incapable of doing so,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cAnd while war rages on, development, the climate crisis, human rights, and disarmament concerns forcefully grind on, showing very little progress with the passage of time. While some may regard revitalization of the General Assembly as a technical process, it is essentially a political undertaking,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cToday, we must have both the commitment and the courage to consider and agree on solutions that transcend the \u2018business as usual\u2019 approach, considering that the challenges before us hardly qualify to be considered either routine or normal,\u201d he stressed.
\nDelegates discussing the Assembly\u2019s work also echoed his sentiments, highlighting the need to make the body more effective and efficient\u2014a beacon of multilateralism\u2014particularly in this day and age where conflict rages on multiple fronts.
\nRevitalizing the body\u2019s work is a timely order as the 193 Member States of the Assembly see their list of challenges\u2014whether in climate change or food insecurity\u2014continue to grow. \u201cA strong and efficient assembly is particularly crucial to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NEW YORK Emphasizing the United Nations General Assembly\u2019s status as the only U.N. forum with universal representation, Pakistan has urged the 193-member body to enhance the credibility of its decisions by setting up a mechanism to monitor the implementation of its own resolutions. \u201cThis authority is explicit whenever the Security Council is unable to act […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":367708,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-367689","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n