After two years of virtual meetings prompted by the pandemic, the United Nations once again gathered in New York for its major annual summit. This is the first gathering since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February, and while there is a call for Security Council reform, the gathering also spotlights urgent global problems that have intensified due to the climate crisis and the pandemic, including hunger and poverty.
Since negotiations began in the General Assembly on Tuesday, speeches have flowed. Yet given the scale of the challenges and risks, actions must go beyond words. The following sections highlight the central issues the assembly is addressing.
Poverty, hunger, energy pressure and inflation
The pandemic has left 77 million people living in poverty worldwide, with another 71 million added to the tally between March and June of this year according to the World Food Program. By year’s end 2022, more than double the amount of people facing severe food insecurity compared with the pre-pandemic period is projected. The escalating food crisis has been worsened by the war in Ukraine. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has proposed taxing fossil fuel companies’ record profits in response to rising oil and gas prices. At the same time, widespread inflation, housing challenges, and economic stress are hitting the poorest communities hardest.
Many developing countries lack the financial space or access to resources needed to secure basic services for their populations. This gap could fuel social instability and rekindle North–South divides during a period of East–West tensions. The call from the Portuguese for a major reform of the international financial system reflects alarm about widening inequality and the risk of a renewed global split as conflicts and power shifts continue to unfold.
Even with record funding this year, the UN faces a humanitarian funding gap. Resources remain insufficient for ongoing crises, with the Central Emergency Response Fund asked to adapt to 11 countries from Myanmar to Mali and Pakistan to Somalia. Floods devastate Yemen, while famine threatens ongoing crises in Yemen, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Nigeria, and Afghanistan.
Geopolitics and war
The war in Ukraine has defined the closing months of this UN session, with an array of diplomatic tasks on the table. Guterres underscored that pursuing peace will require difficult compromises and that options are limited. The agenda includes ways to expand grain and fertilizer exports from both Russia and Ukraine to ease shortages in Africa and other low-income regions, while safeguarding the safety of prisoners of war and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility.
Russia’s invasion remains a dominant focal point, but other geopolitical frictions persist. Tensions between the United States and China have grown, particularly around Taiwan. In addition, there is anticipation over a possible revival of multilateral agreements and commitments, including discussions about Iran’s nuclear program after years of contention. The Yemen situation, the Sahel region, and the ongoing challenges in Afghanistan under Taliban control also demand coordinated responses to prevent further instability.
Climate crisis
Guterres has been outspoken about a climate response that falls short. After visiting flood-hit Pakistan, he described the current global reaction as inadequate and fueled by injustice. He suggested that the meeting could spur wealthier nations to set bolder climate targets and to increase aid for vulnerable countries, helping them adapt to climate change and speed up emissions reductions while supporting sustainable development.
Rights and freedoms
The UN is concluding a special session focused on education and youth leadership. Although the secretary-general will not attend every solemn event, attention remains essential on several issues this week. Human rights concerns include reclaiming rights for women and girls and resisting rising populism. Solidarity envisioned in the UN Charter must counter nationalist impulses, the disenchantment of the poorest, and the political incentives that reward discrimination, misinformation, and hate speech. The global financial system often penalizes those with the least, while fossil fuel interests contribute to environmental harm on a planetary scale. The overall goal is to protect the vulnerable and build a fairer international order. [CITATION: United Nations context and statements]”