Outgoing UN General Assembly President's Closing Remarks: Multilateralism and Future Ambition

Key Priorities and Signature Events

• 💡 The outgoing President of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, Philémon Yang, organized signature events reflecting his priorities.
• 🤝 These included dialogues on preserving human dignity in armed conflict, scaling up action on sustainable development goals, small arms and light weapons control, and the elimination of child labor.
• 🌍 Further events focused on the future of peacekeeping in Africa, digitalization, and a new partnership with Africa.
• 🎯 A consistent focus was maintained on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

Fostering Dialogue and Reform

• 💬 Efforts were prioritized to foster dialogue and build trust, with a keen interest in the reform of the Security Council.
• 🌍 The President engaged with various groups and initiatives, including the African Union's Committee of 10, and welcomed the presentation of reform models.
• 🗣️ Dialogues were convened on multilingualism, the General Assembly's role in peace and security, women in mediation, and strengthening multilateralism.
• 🌐 The translation of the 'Pact for the Future' into 33 languages was highlighted as a key achievement in promoting multilingualism.

Reaffirming the UN Charter and Future Promise

• 📜 The 80th anniversary of the UN Charter signing was commemorated, reaffirming the enduring spirit of San Francisco and the organization's timeless principles.
• ✅ Member states affirmed that the Charter and the UN represent a collective promise for a better future, a promise that must be fulfilled.
• 🚀 The UN's 'UN8' initiative was supported through briefings, and an informal ad hoc working group on mandate implementation review was successfully established.

Gratitude and Future Aspirations

• 🙏 Profound gratitude was expressed to the Secretary-General, the UN system, the General Committee, chairs, facilitators, co-chairs, vice presidents, and the President's cabinet for their support.
• 🌟 Special thanks were extended to member states that provided support and seconded diplomats and staff to the President's office.
• 🎤 Warm congratulations were offered to the President-elect of the 80th session, with a wish for them to take the General Assembly to new heights.
• 🚀 The closing message emphasized the enduring nature of ambition and the need for multilateralism to deliver faster and smarter for everyone, everywhere.