NEW YORK, Sept 30 — The General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly concluded on Monday, reported Xinhua.
In her closing remarks, General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said 189 UN member states delivered speeches at the General Debate, including those from 124 heads of state and government.
"At the beginning of this week, we referred to the United Nations as the house of diplomacy and dialogue, standing at a crossroads, a place where we gather to have hard conversations during challenging times.
"If this high-level week is an indication, this house is fulfilling that purpose: the United Nations is still relevant," she said.
Baerbock noted that throughout the week, there were moments of energy — even electricity — where member states felt the collective will to do better, to reach further, to choose the right path at the crossroads.
"This week's General Debate, with strong engagements and impassioned words, showed that we are capable of finding the strength to lift up our common leadership, to find collective solutions, and to take the right path at the crossroads.
"Let us be inspired by the legacy of our past, and daring for a better future that is better together. Unafraid. Unbroken. United," she said.
This year's session coincides with the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN. The High-Level Week provided world leaders with an opportunity to reflect on the past eight decades and look ahead.
The raging wars in various parts of the world, major power rivalries, the climate crisis, and a deficit in sustainable development, among other challenges, provided ample topics for debate.
Apart from the General Debate, world leaders had the opportunity to make a point at a series of high-level meetings, including the resumed High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, as well as the high-level event to mark the UN's 80th anniversary.
Many countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, announced their recognition of Palestine's statehood right before or during the High-Level Week, making Israel and the United States (US) increasingly isolated on the question of Palestine.
Other events included a climate summit, a Sustainable Development Goals Moment, a high-level meeting marking the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, and a high-level meeting on the governance of artificial intelligence.
US President Donald Trump attacked the world body in his speech at the UN General Assembly, complaining about the malfunctioning of the teleprompter and the sudden stop of the escalator on his way to the General Assembly Hall.
Fox News host Jesse Watters had to apologise for threats to bomb or gas the UN headquarters made in his "Jesse Watters Primetime" talk show, in response to Tuesday's glitches involving Trump.
During his show on Tuesday, he said: "What we need to do is either leave the UN or we need to bomb it...maybe gas it...we need to destroy it."
Watters later apologised, according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres' spokesman Stéphane Dujarric.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech on Friday saw a mass exodus from the General Assembly Hall as scores of delegates walked out in protest when he took the stage.
This year's High-Level Week saw the weaponisation of visas by the US, which abused its status as the host country.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was unable to travel to New York as the US imposed a visa ban on Palestinian officials. He delivered his speech remotely.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro had his visa revoked after he attended a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the UN headquarters. Petro said New York may no longer be a suitable host for the UN headquarters.
