The United Nations General Assembly convenes on Tuesday in the shadow of the second year of war in Ukraine, amid a series of climate related catastrophes and at a time of increasing divisions in the world that will hamper efforts to address the litany of problems contributing to the strains.
Underscoring the tensions, only President Joe Biden among the leaders of the five nations of the Security Council — the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain — will attend the meeting.
This year’s gathering was planned with an eye to growing demands from the nations of the “global south,” an informal group of developing and underdeveloped countries.
They have been frustrated by the world’s attention on the conflict in Ukraine while their crises have received minimal attention and funding, diplomats said.
Responding to those demands, the U.N. has scheduled discussions during the General Assembly on climate change, sovereign debt relief and ways to help struggling countries reach the U.N.’s development goals on prosperity, health, development, education and gender equality.
Persons:
Joe Biden, Britain —, Volodymyr Zelensky
Organizations:
United Nations, Security
Locations:
Ukraine, United States, Russia, China, France, Britain, Assembly