UNITED NATIONS, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago’s representative to the United Nations, Dennis Francis, took the oath of office as the new President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), vowing to discharge its responsibilities to the best of his ability.
Francis took the oath as the 77th session of the UNGA closed on Tuesday morning, with outgoing President Csaba Kőrösi underscoring that cooperation among countries is indispensable amid geopolitical rivalries.
Francis will preside over the new UNGA, which gets underway on Tuesday (3:00 p.m. local time).
Kőrösi told the UNGA that “our survival depends on our cooperation,” he pointed to global roadblocks such as accelerating climate change, biodiversity loss, education, and gender inequality.
“Let us put money where our promises are,” he added, urging governments to translate actions for sustainable development into budgeting policies, national regulations, and capacity building.
Assembly President Kőrösi recalled the three “pillars” of the United Nations – peace and security, development, and human rights – and asked if the UN Charter was being upheld worldwide with conflicts raging around the world.
“The war in Ukraine and 51 other armed conflicts must end, in line with the UN Charter and international law,” he declared, calling for an end to nuclear proliferation and the nuclear arms race.
Kőrösi highlighted the need for integrated, holistic solutions that address current challenges and protect against those in the future.
He outlined the need for crucial UN bodies, including the General Assembly and the Security Council, to reform and evolve.
“The world’s first passenger jet aircraft carried 36 passengers in 1952. It was a breakthrough in technological development,” he said, adding, “That doesn’t mean that we can use it today to take us to Mars…Times are evolving, and this Organization must evolve with them.”
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