UNITED NATIONS • World leaders came together, virtually, to mark the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, as the deadly coronavirus pandemic and tensions between the United States and China challenge the effectiveness and solidarity of the 193-member body.
As Covid-19 began to spread worldwide earlier this year, forcing millions of people to shelter at home and devastating economies, countries turned inward and diplomats say the UN struggled to assert itself. Also, long-simmering tensions between the US and China hit boiling point over the pandemic, spotlighting Beijing's bid for greater multilateral influence in a challenge to Washington's traditional leadership.
The coronavirus emerged in China late last year, and Washington has accused Beijing of a lack of transparency that it says worsened the outbreak. China denies this.
In an apparent swipe at the US, China's President, Xi Jinping said on Monday: "No country has the right to dominate global affairs, control the destiny of others, or keep advantages in development all to itself. Even less should one be allowed to do whatever it likes and be the hegemon, bully or boss of the world. Unilateralism is a dead end."
China has portrayed itself as the chief cheerleader for multilateralism as President Donald Trump's disregard for international cooperation led to Washington's quitting global deals on climate and Iran as well as leaving the UN Human Rights Council and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Deputy US ambassador to the UN Cherith Norman Chalet told the General Assembly the world body had in many ways proven to be a successful experiment, but "there are also reasons for concern".
"The United Nations has for too long been resistant to meaningful reform, too often lacking in transparency, and too vulnerable to the agenda of autocratic regimes and dictatorships," she said.
The US withdrawal from the WHO came after Mr Trump accused the agency of being a puppet of China, a claim the WHO denied.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said "increasing discord" in the international community was sparked by some countries meddling in the domestic affairs of other states and imposing unilateral sanctions - a veiled dig at Washington."The world is tired of dividing lines, dividing states into them and us. The world requires increasing multilateral assistance and cooperation," he said.
The pandemic has exposed the world's fragilities, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, adding: "Today we have a surplus of multilateral challenges and a deficit of multilateral solutions."
The Security Council took months to back a call by Mr Guterres for a global ceasefire - to allow countries to focus on fighting Covid-19 - due to bickering between China and the US.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the General Assembly the interests of individual member states had "too often" forced the UN to lag behind its ideals.
"Those who believe that they can get along better alone are mistaken. Our well-being is something that we share - our suffering too. We are one world," she said.
Several leaders called for UN reform, in particular the 15-member Security Council, arguing it was unfair that the US, Russia, China, France and Britain were the only permanent veto-wielding powers.
Monday's one-day special event came ahead of the annual meeting of world leaders, which started yesterday with no presidents or prime ministers physically present in New York. All statements were pre-recorded and will be broadcast in the General Assembly hall.
The UN was created after World War II to prevent another such conflict. While there has not been a World War III, leaders adopted a statement on Monday acknowledging "moments of disappointment".
"All this calls for greater action, not less," the statement said.
REUTERS
