Tuesday, Annalena Baerbock of Germany will become the first European woman to occupy the post and only the fifth president of the history of the assembly.

On the eve of the inauguration of Baerbock, UN News spoke with one of his predecessors. María Fernanda Espinosa, former Minister of Defense and Foreign Affairs of the Ecuador, led the 2018 to 2019 assembly as the first woman in Latin America and the Caribbean to do so.

Hard work and qualified diplomacy

Espinosa describes The General Assembly As a “laboratory of international law”, noting that the role of the president requires “hard work, good diplomacy and the ability to carry out fair negotiations”.

The last woman to preside over the assembly said that she sees Annalena Baerbock all the qualities necessary for a “brilliant performance” as the next president. She stressed that the German chief took office at a time of “deep structural change within the institution, partly linked to financial challenges”.

Espinosa thinks that Baerbock will play an “absolutely central” role in the implementation of reforms within the framework of the UN80 process, as well as the advanced commitments linked to The Pact for the futureadopted in 2024.

For Espinosa, the own story of the UN proves that it is “an irreplaceable organization, a humanity cannot happen – but which must nevertheless be reinvented”.

“Why not a woman as secretary general?”

While welcoming the election of the fifth president of the Assembly in New York, Espinosa said that this restructuring also offered the opportunity to rethink leadership styles and finally consider a woman for the post of secretary general. The next appointment is expected in 2026.

“The real question is: why not?” She asked, stressing that a woman could bring qualities such as “strong management and a construction of bridges”. She added that a woman secretary general would also represent an act of “historic justice”, after 80 years of male leadership at the helm of the UN.

The former Ecuadorian diplomat recognized one of the largest challenges in the United Nations: the gap between the resolutions adopted in the General Assembly and their translation in national policies and regulations. That, she said, prevents multilateral decisions from producing tangible improvements in people’s lives.

To remedy this, she called for a “more inclusive and network multilateralism”, in which citizens are informed, committed and capable of monitoring international decisions taken.

Build a consensus behind the scenes

Espinosa stressed that “most of the presidency works are taking place behind the scenes”, dealing with divisions and forging consensus.

She noted that the new president will be more and more confronted with the responsibilities related to peace and security, as well as sustainable development.

Espinosa recalled that the very first resolution adopted by the General Assembly concerned the discovery of atomic energy, stressing the need to adapt to a new force which could be exploited for peaceful purposes, but also “terrible effects”.

She underlined the moments of definition of her own presidency, including the difficult negotiations which led to the adoption of the first Global compact for migration in 2018.

The diplomat also expressed his pride in internal advances, such as the decision to eliminate single -use plastics in the UN, recognizing the damage they cause to human health and ecosystems.

Police used tear gas and opened fire on demonstrators trying to storm the Parliament complex in the capital, Kathmandu, according to the media.

The curfews were imposed in certain parts of the city and in Rupandehi, with restrictions on the effective movement in Pokhara.

‘So unlike Nepal’

The resident coordinator of the UN Hanaa Fikry Ahmed Singer described the situation as “if unlike Nepal” and feared that the number of victims increases.

“Many of my staff here cry,” she said UN News in an interview. “They haven’t seen any violence during their lifetime.”

The demonstrations occurred only a few days after the Nepalese government blocked more than 20 social media platforms such as WhatsApp, X and Facebook, as well as websites such as YouTube, so as not to register with the authorities.

“” The government wanted them to also align themselves with internal laws because they have concerned about disinformation, hate speech and social harmonyAnd to ensure surveillance and surveillance, ”she said.

“However, the decision has been widely criticized as too wide and has been perceived by many, especially young people who are very global, like all parts of the world now, They consider this to be a restriction on freedom of expression and access to digital spaces. “”

Concern for civilians

Ahmed Singer expressed a deep concern for civilians’ safety and stressed the urgent need to ensure medical access without restriction to the injured.

“Immediate priority is now the protection of civilians, especially young people who are at the forefront of demonstrations,” she said.

Social media returned online shortly before the interview. The senior humanitarian official said that she had published a message on X Call all parties to exercise a maximum reservoirAdhered to the basic principles on the use of strength and firearms, and make sure that people can exercise their democratic rights in completeness and peacefully.

“The most important thing is now an access without restriction to medical care for those who are injured, if necessary,” she said.

Supporting role

Meanwhile, United Nations agencies in the country – such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), and the United Nations Human Rights Office, Ohchr – close monitoring of developments.

They prepare health and other forms if necessary and are ready to facilitate dialogue.

“Our role is really to remind everyone to ensure the protection of civilians, to protect fundamental freedoms and to support Nepal in their commitment to international human rights standards and standards,” she said.

According to reports, more than 800 drones were launched in waves designed to overwhelm the Ukrainian air defenses, and a government building was affected in the capital kyiv for the first time.

Ukrainian authorities said four had been killed, with 44 injured. The air raid sirens continued for 11 hours across the capital and although a majority was killed more than 50 drones and nine missiles reached their targets.

“Again, the attacks had an impact on the houses, a government building, a kindergarten and other civil infrastructure in kyiv and Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Kremenchuk, Kryvyi Rih, Odesa, Sumy Region, Zaporizhzhia – leaving behind the loss, destruction and Grif

The senior aid official said that, with the authorities, the UN and the humanitarian partners had mobilized to provide urgent support for civilians and civil areas where damage has been suffered.

Civilians should never be a target

“Civilians and civil infrastructure are protected by international humanitarian law-they are not a target,” he continued.

The UN children’s funds, Unicefsaid that the news of a baby killed with her young mother during an attack on a building in kyiv was “devastating”. At least another child was injured during attacks on Sumy.

“Ukraine has endured another terrifying attack of attacks which had an impact on several cities. More brutally shortened young lives, ”tweeted the agency.

The attacks occurred after weeks of large -scale diplomacy of the Western allies of the Ukrainian government to negotiate a lasting peace agreement between kyiv and Moscow.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an article on social networks following attacks by which “such murders now, when real diplomacy could already have started a long time ago, are a deliberate crime and an extension of the war”.