The North African country has been divided between two competing administrations for more than a decade, after the overthrow of former leader Muammar Gaddaffi in 2011.

Last month, the UN proposed a roadmap This would last from 12 to 18 months leading to general elections and a new unified government.

Not critical support

“I am in front of you today to represent the will of a people who are always due to hope, always believing in their ability to build a stable and prosperous future,” said Mohamed Younis al-Menfi of the Government of National Unity (GNU) recognized internationally.

“Libya is not an area for fighting. It is not an arena to adjust the scores or a place where crises can be exported. It is a nation rich in natural resources, a coherent society, with young people who have enormous potential “which” are the backbone to build a modern state. “

He stressed that “at this critical moment, we turn to the United Nations to play an effective and complementary role because he helps us to overcome this crisis towards stability and democracy.

Past failures, broken confidence

Mr. Al-Menfi insisted that despite challenges and threats, the Libyan people firmly believes that they can overcome obstacles.

“But let me be honest with you,” he said. “In Libya, several traditional models and mechanisms have been exhausted. They did not match the complexity of the social and political situation. They harmed the confidence of Libyans in the solutions proposed. ”

He warned that “any solution that does not restore the national property of the political track, any solution which is not derived from the free will of the Libyan people, would be intended to fail, as we have seen in the past.”

A new approach

In this regard, Mr. Al-Menfi presented what he called “a clear political vision based on four pillars”.

The first calls for “fully restoring national sovereignty and rejecting all forms of foreign interference, regardless of the form that this could take and regardless of justifications.”

The sovereign institutions of Libya – in particular its security, defense and financial institutions – must be united “according to professional mechanisms, without polarization and without fixing quotas”.

The final pillar concerns the end of the current transition period on the basis of a new constitution, “through free and fair elections, allowing Libyans to freely choose who would governed them, without guardianship, without any position of external actors.”

Mr. Al-Menfi said that despite the challenges, the authorities had been able to maintain the highest level of stability and prevent a relapse in violence.

“We emphasize that the blood of the Libyan people is a red line,” he said. “Territorial integrity, sovereignty and social cohesion of Libya are not negotiable.”

Since 2014, Yemen has been engulfed in conflicts between the internationally recognized government and Houthi activists (officially known as the Ansar Allah movement). A fragile truce negotiated in 2022 has helped reduce fighting, but violations are underway.

Millions have been moved across the country-already one of the poorest in the Middle East-while public services and infrastructure collapsed.

The humanitarian workers have also been targeted by the Houthis – which control the major expanses of the country, including the capital – with dozens of United Nations staff owned by group and agency offices.

“The Houthi militias are no longer a rebellious group in a remote region,” said President Al-Alimi to the annual debate of the General Assembly.

International Terrorism Group

“On the contrary, they are [an] International terrorist organization armed with the teeth with an advanced Iranian arsenal, including missiles and ballistic drones, trapped boats and sea mines, and missiles and other qualitative weapons that are internationally prohibited. »»

Mr. Al-Alimi-who directs Yemen, the presidential leadership council-said that after more than a decade of war, the Yemenis live “one of the greatest humanitarian crises” while facing “security threats that transcend our borders and spread to the region and the whole world”.

He accused Houthis of using “hunger as a weapon, religion as a tool and maritime passages as a means of blackmail”, warning that the Red Sea and the international shipping channels are likely to become a permanent prey to terrorism.

He has rejected years of international and ineffective containment efforts.

“The conflict management policy by offering more incentives has only caused more disasters and destruction,” he said.

He said the UN was not “unable to protect his own staff, who had been kidnapped in Sanaa, unable to protect oil and commercial ships.”

Call to effective action

The Yemeni leader called for an “effective international coalition to restore security, stability and a coalition that would reconstruct state institutions and release the country of militias claws and all forms of terrorist groups.”

The Yemen crisis is an international credibility test, he said.

“What we ask for you are not new declarations, but international action – an international action firm – to support the legitimate government as a trusted partner on the ground.”

He reaffirmed Yemen’s support for the Palestinian cause, praised the growing international recognition of a Palestinian state and expressed his gratitude to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for their supported support for his country.

“Yemen and Gaza … are the moral test field [United Nations]. They are the place where we can certainly confirm that the power on the right is always able to face the right of the power. »»

In the last days of the Second World War, when the idea of ​​the United Nations began to take shape, the atomic attacks of two Japanese cities sent a frightening warning to the world, of the terrifying destructive power of nuclear weapons. Eight decades later, in the midst of increasing geopolitical tensions and ongoing conflicts, the threat of nuclear weapons increases.

Highest level of threat in decades

In his message for the ‘International day for the total elimination of nuclear weapons“, Observed each year on September 26, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres reminds the world that” nuclear weapons have no security – only the promise of annihilation “.

Nuclear disarmament has remained an absolute priority for the UN since its creation. In fact, the very First resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly In 1946, focused on nuclear disarmament.

In the decades that followed, the UN continued to lead diplomatic efforts in this direction. In 1959, the General Assembly officially supported the objective of general and complete disarmament. In 1978The first special session of the general assembly on disarmament said that nuclear disarmament was the highest priority.

Each UN secretary general has actively pursued this objective. The current holder, António Guterres, has warned several times in recent years that “geopolitical tensions and distrust have increased the risk of nuclear war to its highest levels in decades”.

“These weapons are increasing in power, in range and stealth. An accidental launch is an error, a calculation error, an act of recklessness “,” He said to Security advice Last year.

What is at stake

Although nuclear weapons have only been deployed twice, their shadow still hangs on humanity. Over 12,000 nuclear warheads still exist today. Their destructive potential threatens entire cities, millions of lives, the environment and future generations.

More than 50% of the world’s population lives in countries with nuclear weapons or are part of nuclear alliances. Deep concerns about the possible use of these weapons have intensified due to conflicts, including the war in Ukraine.

Many nuclear countries also plan to modernize their arsenals. The integration of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, raises the possibility of bad judges and misunderstandings, which makes the risks even more complex and unpredictable.

A renewed nuclear weapon race?

A Range of multilateral treaties And initiatives have been established to curb, regulate or eliminate nuclear weapons over the decades, helping – to a certain extent – to slow down proliferation and advanced disarmament.

However, increasing global instability and violent conflicts exerted increasing pressure on these mechanisms. The weakening of these executives may cause a renewed nuclear weapon race.

In 2019, the United States announced its withdrawal from the Intermediate Standing Nuclear Forces Treaty, which targeted the elimination of a specific class of nuclear missiles and, in 2022, a major magazine conference failed to reach a consensus on the Treaty of Nuclear Proliferation.

The following year, Russia withdrew its ratification from the full nuclear trial treaty (CTBT) and suspended its participation in the “New Departure” treaty on the measures to reduce and limit strategic offensive weapons.

These developments have led to increasing frustration about the slowness of disarmament and an increasing concern concerning the catastrophic potential of a single nuclear detonation: since the end of the Cold War, while the number of nuclear weapons deployed has not decreased, not a single nuclear warhead has been eliminated due to a treaty. There is also no active negotiations currently targeting nuclear disarmament.

Renewed elimination efforts

To mark this year’s international day for the total elimination of nuclear weapons, a high -level meeting takes place on Friday September 26, while the high -level week of the general assembly fits at its end.

This initiative, established by a resolution adopted in 2013, is designed to educate the public, promote global dialogue on disarmament, highlight the advantages of a world without nuclear weapons and draw attention to the costs of maintaining these weapons.

This rally should mobilize international support to a world without nuclear weapons and reaffirm the commitment in terms of disarmament and non-proliferation, in particular on the historical occasion of the UN eightieth anniversary.

“The participation of young people is not only to bring young people to meetings”, ” President of the General Assembly Annalena Baerbock said THURSDAY.

“” It is a question of really integrating their lived experience and their expertise to shape political results. “”

Prioritize rights and aspirations

Ms. Baerbock was expressed during an event to commemorate the 30th anniversary of The global action program for young people.

The framework covers 15 priority areas, including education, employment, hunger and poverty; health and environment; globalization, information and communication technologies; armed conflict and intergenerational problems.

This shows that action for young people crosses every problem and that they are engines of change.

Open the way

About 1.2 billion, the generation of young people today – people aged 15 to 24 – is undoubtedly the largest in history.

Young people are at the forefront of climate action, digital innovation, construction of local solutions and human rights defense, said Guy Ryder, United Nations Subsecretary General for Policy, who spoke on behalf of the Secretary General.

” Again Too often, they are excluded from decisions, decisions that shape their lives and face obstacles to education, decent work, health services and political participation“He said.

“At the same time, the violence, the instability and the narrowing of the civic space silence the votes of young people and place obstacles on the manner of their significant contributions.”

Pay the price

The commemoration has been tried to mark progress since the historical framework, but also to treat unfinished affairs.

As the head of the UN youth office said, the international community “must face the reality that gives thought Millions of young people continue to be left. “”

Felipe Paullier said they are “paying the highest price” with regard to the climate crisis, digital disturbances and growing peace threats.

“The reality is that conflict-related deaths have climbed to the highest level since the adoption of the World Action Program for Young people,” he said.

“It means millions of young lives lost, moved or forever affected. From Gaza to Ukraine, from Haiti to the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), Sudan and so many other places in crisis, Young people are deprived of their education, their security and their future. “”

Voice of a generation

Before the event, more than 75,000 young people in 182 countries shared their challenges and hopes thanks to a “pension activity” coordinated by its office.

Information will help guide the action, but the impact of this generation is already felt around the world.

“” Young people do not wait tomorrow to become leaders; These are the leaders of today“Said Ms. Baerback, who recalled that the Recent historical decision by International Court of Justice (Icj) States’ obligations to combat climate change have been launched by a group of Pacific students.

‘Partnership with us’

For AINI ALIDI, a defender of young people from the UN in Malawi, the event was “more than a commemoration” but “a call for action”.

“Young people remain firm in our optimism and determination to build a better future,” she said.

“” What we ask for the United Nations and its Member States is simple but urgent: listen to us. Invest in the United States, and above all, associate with us. “”

James Sustrely of Ireland, defender of young people with disabilities, advised the world leaders of what the participation of young people really means.

“” This is where people who have power listen to us and act Because actions speak more than words, “he said.

“It’s more than a cashier exercise. It is when we can make our own decisions, and not only others make decisions on our behalf. As we always say, nothing of us without us. ”

Speaking by video, he said that more than 220,000 Palestinians had been killed or injured on almost two years of fighting – most of them, children, children and the elderly, while two million people were facing famine under the blockade.

More than 80% of houses, schools, hospitals, churches, mosques and Gaza infrastructure had been destroyed, he added.

“What Israel leads is not just an assault is a war crime and a crime against humanity,” said Abbas, describing it as “one of the most horrible chapters in the humanitarian tragedy of the 20th and 21st centuries”.

He also underlined the escalation of the violence of the colonists and the expansion of regulations in the West Bank, including the strategy of “great Israel” to extend Israeli territory, which, according to him, threatened to “divide the West Bank”, “the isolate occupied Jerusalem” and “undermine the solution to two states”.

Religious sites through Jerusalem, Hébron and Gaza had not been spared, he noted, citing attacks against mosques, churches and cemeteries.

Conviction of October 7

Mr. Abbas condemned the attack of October 7, 2023 against Israeli civilians, affirming that these actions “do not represent the Palestinian people, nor their simple struggle for freedom and independence”.

He stressed that Gaza was an integral part of the Palestinian State and that the Palestinian Authority was ready to assume full responsibility for governance and security there, on the basis of “a state, a law and a legal certainty”.

“We do not want an armed state,” he told world leaders, describing a vision of a “modern and democratic” Palestine on the basis of the rule of law, the peaceful transition of power and respect for human rights, the empowerment of young people and women.

Turning to the international community, President Abbas deplored that more than 1,000 United Nations resolutions on Palestine remained without implementation, despite Palestinian leaders adopting peace agreements and recognizing Israel since the Oslo agreements in 1993.

Israel, he said, had “systematically” undermined these agreements while the Palestinians joined their commitments, in particular by rejecting the violence and restructuring of national institutions.

He praised the results of a high -level conference in New York earlier this week, co -chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, and expressed his gratitude to the growing number of countries recognizing Palestine, urging others to follow and support complete membership in the UN.

He said Palestine is ready to work with the United States, Saudi Arabia, France, the United Nations and all partners to implement the peace plan adopted this week, adding that “peace cannot be carried out if justice is not obtained, and there can be no justice if Palestine is not released”.

The Palestinians will never give up their homeland or their rights, he said.

“No matter the duration of suffering, it will not break our desire to live and survive,” said Abbas. “The dawn of freedom will emerge, and the flag of Palestine will fly high in our sky as a symbol of dignity and firmness.”

The history of Somalia is that of “real national efforts supported by truly committed international partners,” he said, referring to the transition from the country of total civil conflict from 2012.

“In fact, Somalia proves that multilateralism and global solidarity can make people a better, safer and progressive place.”

He said that as a current member of Security adviceHis nation works with other international partners to find solutions for peace in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

Mohamud called for an “immediate and lasting ceasefire, without hindrance and a renewed humanitarian access to the two-state solution”, on the question of Palestine.

“International terrorism pockets”

Back home, Somalia is fighting the “last remaining pocket of international terrorism while building strong and sustainable national security architecture,” he said.

Recalling that Somalia was once the first democracy in Africa, he said that the country was now preparing for its first complete national elections in 57 years. More than 30 independent political associations have already registered their participation.

“Assume responsibility” for economic development

“In Somalia, we are responsible for our own economic development by relying on the success of our recent reduction in debt based on reform,” said Mohamud, highlighting Somalia’s efforts to mitigate the cost of public service investment.

He confirmed Somalia’s commitment to benefit from its strategic location and natural resources through trade and said that to support this ambition, the country has joined the Eastern African Community, ratified policies are aligned in the field of African continental free trade and continues the process of joining the World Trade Organization (WTO).

To combat the negative impact of climate change, Mr. Mohamud announced the creation of the Somalia National Climate Fund to channel sustainable finance to communities transparently, as well as efforts to restore degraded land and strengthen water safety.

He called on international institutions and capital markets to facilitate “accessible, affordable, predictable and just” funding for sustainable growth and the attenuation of climate change in Somalia.

“Nations on front lines like Somalia cannot be left in front of this crisis alone without support by dominant global financial architecture which is not adapted to this era of great challenge.”