UNGA Session

UNGA Session

Subject: IR

Section: International organisation

Context: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar began a nine-day visit to the US, primarily to attend the annual session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

More about the news:

• The theme of the 78th session of UNGA is “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and the sustainability for all.”
• The events were started on 5th September till 23rd September 2023.
• The first day of the high-level General Debate took place on 19th September 2023.
• Dennis Francis is the President of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly,

Some facts about United Nations General Assembly (UNGA):

• It was established in 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations and is headquartered in New York City.
• It is one of the six principal organs of the UN and serves as the main policy-making organ of the Organization.
• It provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter of the United Nations.
• Each of the 193 Member States of the United Nations has an equal vote.

What is President of the General Assembly (PGA):

• Any Member State can put forward a candidate for PGA.
• He/she is not required to be, but always has been, a citizen of the Member State presenting the candidacy.
• The PGA is elected in his/her personal capacity for a one-year term
• The Member State of the PGA cannot at the same time hold the office of Vice-President or Chair of a Main Committee. Thus, the five permanent members of the Security Council, who are always Vice-Presidents, cannot hold the office of the PGA.
• The Presidency of the General Assembly rotates among the five regional groups, namely:
  • Group of Asian States,
  • Group of Eastern European States,
  • Group of Latin American and Caribbean States,
  • Group of African States,
  • Western European and other States Group.
• The President is elected by a simple majority vote of the General Assembly.
• The President is elected at least three months before formally assuming office, usually in mid-June.

What is the role and mandate of the President of the General Assembly (PGA):

• The PGA is the guardian of the General Assembly Rules of Procedure but has no say in the actual decision-making of the General Assembly; in fact, the PGA does not have a vote in the General Assembly.
• Even on procedural matters, the PGA always remains under the authority of the General Assembly.
• Hence, PGA has very little formal power. It depends on the moral authority and convening power of the office as main instruments to keep the 193 Member States working together.