UN General Assembly kicks off

The sixty-fourth regular session of the United Nations General Assembly will begin in New York this week. Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt will address the assembled Member States of the United Nations on behalf of the European Union. Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt, Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson and Minister for the Environment Andreas Carlgren will also be in New York during the General Assembly week.

The day before Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon will gather the world’s leaders to a high-level event to intensify efforts to reach an agreement on the climate issue in Copenhagen later this year. All through the week, a series of meetings, seminars and activities will be arranged on development, conflict areas, human rights and democracy and on how the UN and the EU together with the international community can meet these and other global challenges and opportunities.

The opening of the General Assembly entails an intensive programme for Sweden and the Swedish EU Presidency. Under Sweden’s leadership the EU will be holding meetings with around fifteen countries and organisations outside the European Union, known as third country meetings. Most will be conducted at ministerial level and the agenda normally includes bilateral relations, regional areas of conflict and global issues of common interest. In its role as holder of the EU Presidency, Sweden will be participating at the climate summit, at the planned G8 foreign ministers meeting, at various international groups of friends and at a high-level meetings of the UN body UNRWA. In addition there will be a series of seminars, bilateral discussions and other activities.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt, Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson and Minister for the Environment Andreas Carlgren will also be in New York during the General Assembly week.

Facts:
The General Assembly (UNGA) occupies a central position as the chief organ of the United Nations. Many questions that are raised in other principal or subsidiary organs end up in the General Assembly for decision. The decisions of the General Assembly are only recommendations, with the exception of issues concerning the Charter, budget, membership, elections and other organisational matters. The General Assembly could be described as a forum for discussion in which virtually all international issues of greater and lesser importance are debated over the years. The opening weeks of the regular session are devoted to the general debate, which sets the tone for the work of the General Assembly during the year. Usually, virtually all delegations participate in it.