President Hu Attends G20, three UN Summits>>
UN General Assembly President Ali Abdelsalam Triki hosts the general debate at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 23, 2009. The 64th session of the UN General Assembly kicked off its general debate on Wednesday.
UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations opened on Wednesday its annual debate with UN leaders and the US president highlighting the role of the United Nations in addressing crises and challenges facing the world today.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addresses the general debate at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 23, 2009.
The world's most pressing challenges can only be dealt with when countries unite through the United Nations, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told world leaders at the opening of the General Assembly's general debate.
Simultaneous crises on multiple fronts - food, energy, recession and pandemic flu - have shown the importance of renewed multilateralism, he said.
"Now is our time. A time to put the 'united' back into the United Nations," Ban emphasized, calling for the international community to be both united in purpose and in action.
"The world looks to us for answers," the secretary-general stressed, adding that the moment is now to "create a United Nations of genuine collective action."
He spotlighted the need for joint efforts on issues ranging from climate change and disarmament to ensuring that the world's poorest people are not left behind by efforts to deal with the economic crisis.
The threat posed by climate change is the greatest challenge faced by humanity, he said, appealing for united global efforts to tackle the problem ahead of this December's conference in Copenhagen where negotiations on an ambitious new agreement on curbing green-house gas emissions is expected to wrap up.
President of the UN General Assembly Ali Abdelsalam Triki hosts the general debate at the gjzp001UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 23, 2009.
General Assembly President Ali Treki told the debate panel that today's multiple challenges - including climate change, disarmament, extreme poverty, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and the food and energy crises - demonstrate the need for greater international cooperation among countries.
"Multilateralism is the way forward to address global, common-shared problems and it is also the only way to ensure effective and collective action," Treki said.
Chinese President Hu Jintao addresses the 64th United Nations General Assembly, at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 23, 2009. This is the first time a Chinese president address the UN.
Chinese President Hu Jintao addressed the UN General Assembly during its general debate on Wednesday to elaborate on China's position on major world and regional issues.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei has said Hu's speech would reflect China's views on the current international situation and major global issues.
"In his speech, the Chinese president will also outline China's stand on how to safeguard world peace, boost common development, promote mutual benefit and seek harmonious co-existence," he said last week.
Hu arrived in New York on Monday for a series of UN meetings. He is also scheduled to participate in a financial summit of the Group of 20 in Pittsburgh on Thursday and Friday.
US President Barack Obama addresses the 64th United Nations General Assembly, at the UN headquarters in New York, September 23, 2009. Obama on Wednesday promised a new era of US engagement with the world, saying that only by acting together can mankind overcome pressing global challenges.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad listens to the opening statement at the 64th United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, September 23, 2009.
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi addresses the 64th United Nations General Assembly, at the UN headquarters in New York, September 23, 2009. Gaddafi, in his first ever address to the United Nations, on Wednesday accused the veto-wielding powers of the Security Council of betraying the principles of the UN charter.
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi tosses a book to the upper level of the podium as he addresses the 64th United Nations General Assembly, at the UN headquarters in New York, September 23, 2009. Gaddafi, in his first ever address to the United Nations, on Wednesday accused the veto-wielding powers of the Security Council of betraying the principles of the UN charter.
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi gestures at the end of his address to the 64th United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, September 23, 2009. Gaddafi, in his first ever address to the United Nations, on Wednesday accused the veto-wielding powers of the Security Council of betraying the principles of the UN charter.
Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown addresses the 64th United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, September 23, 2009.