David Lee
Senior Advisor for Political Affairs
U.S. Mission to the United Nations
New York, New York
February 25, 2021
AS DELIVERED
Thank you, Ambassador Mlynar and Ambassador Lopez, for convening the Working Group’s thematic meeting on the role and authority of the General Assembly today. The United States is proud to be an active and engaged member of the General Assembly and is committed to its effectiveness.
We believe that the role and authority of the General Assembly is best enhanced through improvements to the body’s efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency. Resolution 74/303, the General Assembly’s most recent revitalization resolution, provides a valuable roadmap for this work.
The UN Charter frames the independent yet complementary functions of the General Assembly and the Security Council very well, powers that have appropriately endured for over 75 years. As such, our collective efforts are best served by focusing on ways to further strengthen the General Assembly as it carries out its functions as outlined in the UN Charter.
The United States welcomes the General Assembly’s role in holding interactive, thematic debates on issues of critical importance to the international community. We look forward to continuing to actively participate in these discussions.
The United States supports greater interaction among the heads of the UN organs and the chairs of the Main Committees, as a means of improving coordination across these bodies. Such discussions would allow for greater collaboration on some of the most pressing challenges the UN is confronting today – from our collective action on COVID-19 to addressing the threats posed by climate change. They would also help identify areas of duplication, allowing us to streamline agendas and improve efficiency.
We look forward to being a part of this revitalization effort over the course of UNGA75 and continuing to exchange views with member states in this working group.
Thank you.
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