New York: UN week starts with development summit, unrest in Moscow

Shortly before the start of the high-profile UN general debate, a letter from a group of states surrounding Russia is causing unrest. In the letter dated yesterday, Sunday, the eleven countries announced a blockade of several declarations that were to be adopted by the global community during the UN general debate this week.

This includes a text that was intended to reaffirm the United Nations’ sustainability goals today. UN Secretary-General António Guterres had spoken of a “quantum leap” to revitalize the development goals, which had fallen behind schedule.

In addition to Russia, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, North Korea, Eritrea, Iran, Nicaragua, Syria, Venezuela and Zimbabwe signed the letter available to the German Press Agency. In the letter, the countries complain about sanctions to which states are subject and which harm their development. During the negotiations on the four declarations – which also cover the topics of pandemic preparedness, health care and the fight against tuberculosis – “the legitimate concerns of a large number of developing countries were ignored”. Russia was hit with a series of punitive measures for its invasion of Ukraine.

Zelensky expected in New York

It initially remained unclear how the other countries would react to the letter and whether acceptance of the declarations was in danger. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz will also speak at the UN Sustainable Development Goals summit today. For the second year in a row, the SPD politician is taking part in the general debate at the UN General Assembly in New York, which starts on Tuesday and lasts a week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is also expected to arrive in Manhattan today, is also eagerly awaited.

In 2015, the world’s states set central goals for global development with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which aim to improve education and end hunger and extreme poverty by 2030.

But the corona pandemic, the war in Ukraine and a debt crisis in poor countries have set back the achievement of the goals extremely: If things continue as before, according to the UN, there will still be 575 million people in severe poverty in 2030 and more than 600 million live in hunger. According to the UN, only 15 percent of all resolutions formulated are on track.

Reform of the global financial structure takes center stage

The Sustainability Summit is also the mid-term review of the SDGs. UN chief Guterres is expected to again call for a plan to save them. The focus is on reforming the international financial structure so that poor countries can get cheaper loans and access to more money from the World Bank, among others.

The UN is calling for an SDG stimulus of at least $500 billion annually and a debt structure that allows payment holidays, longer loan terms and lower interest rates. Concessions from the industrialized nations seem possible given that the West is increasingly vying with China and Russia for the favor of developing countries.

Security Council meeting on Wednesday

The summit precedes the official start of the UN General Assembly’s general debate, where more than 140 heads of state and government will speak for over a week from Tuesday. President Zelensky is likely to attract the most attention – a high-level Security Council meeting on Wednesday is eagerly awaited, where he could meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for the first time since the start of the war. Zelenskyj attended a UN General Assembly in New York for the first time before the war in 2019. US President Joe Biden will also take part in the general debate.

Tens of thousands in New York are calling for a move away from fossil fuels

Shortly before the United Nations General Assembly, tens of thousands of people in New York demanded a rapid transition away from fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. Yesterday (local time) demonstrators called on Biden to do more to protect the climate and to declare a climate emergency. They pointed to the major fires, floods, storms and heat waves of recent months. Activists said their support for Biden also depends on stronger climate action.

Biden’s administration has pushed through ambitious climate legislation and is working to transition the country to wind, solar and other renewable energy. But it also issued permits for new oil and gas drilling – which also angered supporters who are calling for all fossil fuel extraction to be blocked.

Germany with an anniversary

Today Germany is also celebrating its anniversary at the United Nations. Exactly 50 years ago, the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR became part of the world organization. To mark the occasion, a festive reception with hundreds of guests is planned for the evening (local time) at the UN headquarters on the East River.

On the anniversary, UN Secretary General Guterres praised Germany as a “champion of the Charter of the United Nations”. He stated: “We count on Germany as an important partner in our global efforts to build a fairer and more peaceful future for all humanity.”