The General Assembly of the United Nations opened today with the anticipated focus being the continued war in Syria and the two-fold crises it has created. Namely the flood of refugees fleeing the area and flooding Europe, and the spread of the scourge that is ISIS.
United Nations Secretary General Opens with Somber Tones
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon opened the 70th United Nations General Assembly by basically telling world leaders that they aren’t doing enough to bring peace and equality to the world population. In his speech, he stated that impatience with leadership all over the world is reaching all-time highs, trust in government is fading, and inequality is rising.
He stated specifically that leaders should not stay in their positions longer than their constitutional terms, likely an inference to Iran President Bashar al-Assad insisting that his leaving office would cause chaos in his country during its time of war. Mr. Ban also called for an end to the bombing in Yemen. He said that the United States, Russia, Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia hold the key to creating peace in Syria.
In addition, United Nations Secretary General Ban urged European nations to do more for the refuges flooding the Continent, criticizing them for closing their borders and reminding them that it was them seeking asylum after WWII. He chastised nations for not contributing enough to UN coffers, saying that the United Nations has received no money for the hungriest in Gambia, and that only one third of needed funds are available for providing aid to Syria and Iraq.
However, he noted that there were two successes this year with the world response to the Ebola crisis and he praised the pact on nuclear power that world powers reached with Iran.
Leaders of Brazil, China, Russia, United States also Speaking
President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, was the first to speak after the General Secretary.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, China’s President Xi Jinping, Iran President Hassan Rouhani, Francois Hollande of France, President Raul Castro of Cuba, and King Abdullah II of Jordan were all scheduled to speak during the day.
World leaders are also expected to be discussing the 2030 Agenda that calls for the end of world poverty by the year 2030.
The Agenda also includes ending world hunger, combating climate change, pollution, world peace and providing health care and education to all the world’s citizens.
US President Barack Obama spoke during the morning saying that we are moving into a dark, disordered world with tyrants and conflict driving innocent people out of their homes and countries on an epic scale. President Obama also spoke against the belief of those who state that the ideals and goals of the United Nations Charter are out of date and unachievable.
