The 78th session of the UN General Assembly began on Tuesday in New York, bringing together delegations from 193 member states for a week of high‑level debate on peace, development and global governance.
The United States, which hosts the UN headquarters, is expected to continue its practice of denying visas to officials it deems unwelcome – a policy that previously barred Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and could now extend to other leaders such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to diplomatic sources.
In addition to political figures, the US has reportedly blacklisted several judges and lawyers from the International Criminal Court, preventing them from entering the United States to attend UN meetings, a move that raises concerns about the UN’s ability to coordinate on war‑crimes accountability.
Critics argue that the visa restrictions underscore the broader structural weaknesses of the UN, where the Security Council’s five permanent members retain veto power that can stall action on conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Myanmar, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Secretary‑General António Guterres, who has led the organization since 2017, announced he will step down in December, prompting a scramble among member states to nominate a successor. While many call for the next secretary‑general to be a woman, informal talks suggest the post may rotate to a diplomat from Latin America to appease the “Big Three” – the US, China and Russia.
The debate over the UN’s future also includes proposals to relocate its headquarters. French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to raise the idea of moving the complex to Paris, while some African and Asian nations have advocated for a site in the Global South, with suggestions ranging from Melbourne to a yet‑identified capital in the Global South.
As the General Assembly proceeds, the UN faces a paradox: it remains the most comprehensive platform for international cooperation on climate, health and nuclear non‑proliferation, yet its core mandate of maintaining peace is hampered by political deadlock and procedural constraints.