▲ Dennis Francis, president of the 78th session of the U.N. General Assembly delivers a keynote speech during a meeting of the Council of Presidents of the U.N. General Assembly in Seoul, on Oct. 19, 2023. (Yonhap)
▲ Dennis Francis (4th from L), president of the 78th session of the U.N. General Assembly, and former South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo (5th from L) pose for a photo with other members during a meeting of the Council of Presidents of the U.N. General Assembly in Seoul, on Oct. 19, 2023. (Yonhap)

UN president-multilateralism

U.N. General Assembly president calls for revival of consensus-seeking multilateralism

By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- The United Nations-led multilateral system is feared to be losing its standing as a key international body, as countries are increasingly becoming divisive in pursuit of their own political interests rather than seeking compromise, the president of the U.N. General Assembly said Thursday.

Dennis Francis, president of the 78th session of the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA), highlighted the need to reinvigorate multilateral engagement based on trust and dialogue so that the world can better address pressing global issues like the ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

"We are witnessing a growing chasm, sowing unprecedented discord within the U.N. and among its member states ... Megaphone diplomacy and political grandstanding have replaced genuine dialogue towards problem solving," Francis said in his keynote speech during a meeting of the Council of Presidents of the U.N. General Assembly (UNCPGA) in Seoul.

"Seeking consensus or compromise is increasingly viewed as weakness by those exclusively focused on achieving the national interest at all costs," he said.

Francis described the recent vetoes in the U.N. Security Council on resolutions regarding disarmament and non-proliferation in Ukraine, Syria and North Korea as "concrete manifestations of divisive dynamics" that undermine the essence of diplomacy and multilateralism.

"This raises major questions about the U.N.'s legitimacy and relevance ... (and) about the future of the United Nations and the sustainability of our multilateral system," Francis said.

Francis called for a need to dispel the growing misconception that multilateralism diminishes sovereignty, and to bolster efforts to revive "genuine cooperation and solidarity based on trust."

"On the contrary, multilateral engagement enhances sovereignty by uniting the powers and capabilities of members in common cause," he said, calling for efforts to restore the strength of international collaboration.

Francis is a senior diplomat from Trinidad and Tobago serving his term as the UNGA president for one year until September 2024. He was in Seoul to attend the UNCPGA, a gathering of past UNGA presidents.

Former South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo was elected as the UNCPGA chair in October last year for a three-year term.

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