The 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly has convened in New York, with world leaders in attendance. Despite criticisms about the organisation's limitations, the General Assembly is steadily rising in prominence as a place where politics doesn't always trump policy. The UNGA is comprised of 193 member states, each with an equal vote, making lobbying for votes intense and horse-trading between states a significant factor in shaping crucial questions.
The General Assembly has traditionally played a vital role in defining the UN's work, with Global South states holding a numerical majority since 1960. This group of states has set the agenda for discussed issues and played a pivotal role in the forum's political dynamics. The collective agency of these states has been considerable in moulding the economic and social development system and pushing forward a human rights agenda.
The proposal to create the post of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was led by Costa Rica in the General Assembly in 1965, providing a pathway towards institutional change and putting human rights at the centre of the agenda. The General Assembly's work has focused on specific gains in decolonisation, self-determination, and inequality, reflecting the bonds of solidarity between Global South states and their commitment to addressing global inequality and injustice.
The General Assembly has taken initiative from the UN Security Council on several issues, including condemning Israel's military campaign in Gaza and its obstruction of aid delivery. The unprecedented number of votes in favour reflected not just the political will of the states involved but also wider public outrage at the slaughter taking place. The General Assembly has also invoked the "Uniting for Peace" mechanism to bypass the Security Council and make recommendations for action.
The "Uniting for Peace" resolution was used three times between 2022 and 2023 to move the debate out of the Security Council and into the General Assembly, demonstrating support for Ukraine and criticism of Russia's violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Liechtenstein Initiative, introduced in 2022, requires the General Assembly to meet automatically when one of the five permanent UNSC members uses their veto, creating accountability for state behaviour.
The trend towards moving debates about peace and security out of the Security Council and into the General Assembly reflects a growing recognition of the Assembly's importance in global politics. The General Assembly provides a space for collective responses to the world's biggest crises and has historically been the strongest reflection of humanity's ambition for a fairer world.
The General Assembly is not devoid of pressures from great powers, but it provides a platform for quiet diplomacy and has served as a measure of humanity's greatest achievements in development and human rights. Looking ahead, the General Assembly is likely to continue playing a crucial role in shaping global politics and carving out a pathway towards a fairer world.
Key points
- The UN General Assembly is gaining prominence as a platform for global politics, with 193 member states having an equal vote.
- The General Assembly has taken initiative from the UN Security Council on several issues, including condemning Israel's military campaign in Gaza.
- The Liechtenstein Initiative requires the General Assembly to meet automatically when one of the five permanent UNSC members uses their veto.
