Pakistan urges strengthening of UN General Assembly to resolve disputes, uphold peace

• Ambassador Ahmad calls for a revitalized UNGA to enhance UN effectiveness, highlighting its role as complementary in maintaining international peace
• Proposes dedicated mechanism to monitor implementation of GA resolutions, emphasising on inclusive, equitable global governance amid emerging digital and space challenges

UNITED NATIONS: Amid rising global conflicts and emerging international challenges, Pakistan has renewed its call to strengthen the role of the UN General Assembly—the only principal organ with universal membership—in resolving disputes and maintaining global peace.

“A revitalized General Assembly is essential to a revitalized United Nations,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, told the 193-member Assembly during a debate on the ‘Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly.’

He stressed that the Assembly’s work extends beyond procedural matters, encompassing the peaceful settlement of disputes through mediation and arbitration in line with the UN Charter.

“For the United Nations to remain credible, its resolutions must be implemented in both letter and spirit,” Ambassador Asim Ahmad said, highlighting that such resolutions carry moral, legal, and political weight, reflecting the collective will of the international community. “All organs and member states must therefore respect and implement these decisions,” he added.

Reiterating Pakistan’s proposal, the envoy called for a dedicated mechanism to monitor the implementation of GA resolutions, supported by regular, detailed reporting from the UN Secretariat. “Such a mechanism would strengthen the Assembly’s effectiveness, accountability, and relevance,” he noted.

He also reaffirmed that resolutions remain valid until their mandates are fully implemented — a principle underscoring the enduring authority of the Assembly’s decisions.

Looking ahead, Ambassador Ahmad emphasized that as the world confronts new challenges, from governance of digital technologies and artificial intelligence to sustainable use of outer space and global commons, the Assembly must remain central to these discussions to ensure inclusive and equitable global governance.

Highlighting the Assembly’s complementary role to the Security Council, he said, “When the Council is unable or unwilling to act, the Assembly is fully empowered to assume its responsibilities under the UN Charter.”

While supporting efficiency reforms, he cautioned against measures that could privilege one UN pillar over another, underscoring the interdependence of peace and security, development, and human rights. He also stressed transparency in GA–Security Council relations and predictable resources for the Office of the GA President.

On the appointment of the Secretary-General and executive heads, Pakistan reiterated the principles of transparency, inclusivity, gender parity, and equitable regional representation amid calls for appointing a woman as the next UN chief. Antonio Guterres, currently serving his second term, completes his tenure at the end of 2026.

Presiding over the debate, Assembly President Annalena Baerbock of Germany linked the revitalization process with the broader UN reform agenda under the UN80 Initiative, stressing that both aim to make the organization “more effective, more efficient, and ultimately stronger.” She warned against “business as usual,” urging fewer repetitive resolutions, shorter debates, and smarter scheduling, emphasizing that reforms “remain just words on paper unless implemented in good faith.”